Run AWS services locally without a cloud account
Creating an S3 bucket or a DynamoDB table in your development environment returns the same responses as actual AWS. Floci places AWS-shaped services on your local machine, allowing you to keep your existing SDKs, CLI, and Terraform configurations while developing and testing. It is a free open-source emulator that requires no cloud account or authentication tokens.
An alternative after the LocalStack Community Edition ends
The LocalStack Community Edition ends in March 2026, introducing issues where authentication tokens become required and security updates cease. Floci emerged as a free alternative without these constraints. It follows the MIT license, and the continued provision of security updates is a major difference. Existing LocalStack users can switch immediately by changing only the image name.
Services running in actual Docker containers
There are services that run actual Docker containers rather than being simple mock implementations.
- Databases RDS, Neptune, DocumentDB, and ElastiCache run in actual containers, supporting protocols as-is.
- Containers and Compute ECS, EC2, and EKS create instances and clusters through the actual Docker engine.
- Analytics and AI Athena supports actual SQL execution through a DuckDB sidecar, and Flink runs actual clusters.
Quick start and low resource usage
Floci starts with a single floci start command, and native binaries can be used in environments without Docker.
- CLI and Docker It can be easily run with the official CLI or
docker compose up. - Web Console A console for inspecting resources in the browser is included by default, requiring access to the Docker socket.
- Storage Options You can select a storage backend that matches your durability requirements, such as memory, persistent, hybrid, or WAL.
Things to check before use
Floci does not perfectly replicate all AWS services but provides the core features needed for development and testing. Some services operate via in-process simulation and may behave differently from actual AWS. For example, Bedrock Runtime returns dummy responses, and FIS experiments are control plane simulations that do not inject actual failures. Docker must be installed, and access permissions to the Docker socket are required to use the web console. You should refer to the service overview documentation for the compatibility level of specific services.
