# Floci — AWS Local Emulator Alternative

> A lightweight AWS service emulator for local development and testing, providing fast startup and low resource usage as an alternative to LocalStack.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Floci — AWS Local Emulator Alternative

## Quick Use
```bash
# Run with Docker
docker run -p 4566:4566 floci/floci

# Use AWS CLI against local endpoint
aws --endpoint-url=http://localhost:4566 s3 mb s3://test-bucket
```

## Introduction
Floci is an open-source AWS cloud service emulator designed for local development and CI testing. It provides a lightweight alternative to LocalStack, focusing on fast startup times and minimal resource consumption while emulating core AWS services like S3, SQS, DynamoDB, and Lambda.

## What Floci Does
- Emulates core AWS services (S3, SQS, Lambda, DynamoDB, EC2, ECS) locally
- Starts in seconds with minimal memory and CPU requirements
- Provides AWS-compatible API endpoints for standard SDK usage
- Supports Docker-based deployment for consistent dev/CI environments
- Integrates with Testcontainers for automated integration testing

## Architecture Overview
Floci is written in Java and packages multiple AWS service emulations into a single lightweight container. Each emulated service exposes endpoints compatible with the official AWS SDKs. The system uses in-memory storage by default for speed, with optional persistent storage for stateful testing scenarios.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy via Docker with a single command and default port 4566
- Configure which AWS services to enable via environment variables
- Set persistence mode for data to survive container restarts
- Adjust memory limits based on which services you need
- Use with standard AWS SDKs by overriding the endpoint URL

## Key Features
- Significantly faster startup compared to heavier emulators
- Low memory footprint suitable for CI pipelines and laptops
- Compatible with standard AWS CLI and SDK configurations
- Native Testcontainers integration for Java and other languages
- Free and open-source with no feature gating

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **LocalStack** — more services but heavier resource usage and partially paywalled
- **Moto** — Python library for mocking AWS, not a running service
- **ElasticMQ** — SQS-only emulator, narrower scope
- **MinIO** — S3-compatible only, does not cover other AWS services
- **DynamoDB Local** — official but covers only DynamoDB

## FAQ
**Q: Which AWS services does Floci support?**
A: Core services including S3, SQS, DynamoDB, Lambda, EC2, and ECS. Check the documentation for the full list.

**Q: Can I use it in CI/CD pipelines?**
A: Yes. Its fast startup and low resource usage make it well-suited for CI.

**Q: Is it compatible with the AWS CLI?**
A: Yes. Point the --endpoint-url flag to your Floci instance.

**Q: How does it compare to LocalStack Community?**
A: Floci focuses on lighter resource usage and faster boot, while LocalStack has broader service coverage.

## Sources
- https://github.com/floci-io/floci

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/floci-aws-local-emulator-alternative-54dda7ea
Author: Script Depot