Absolutely, you’ve got plenty of options to check your SQS queue status and messages using only your API credentials—no need for AWS Console access. Let’s break down the most reliable approaches:

The official AWS CLI is the most straightforward tool for this. Here’s how to use it:

• First, install the AWS CLI if you haven’t already.
• Configure your credentials by running aws configure—you’ll be prompted to enter your access key ID, secret access key, and AWS region.
• To get queue status (like pending messages, messages in flight), use:

  aws sqs get-queue-attributes --queue-url <your-queue-url> --attribute-names ApproximateNumberOfMessages ApproximateNumberOfMessagesNotVisible
  

• If you don’t know your queue URL, list all queues in your region with:

  aws sqs list-queues
  

• To pull messages from the queue (to verify SES is sending bounces):

  aws sqs receive-message --queue-url <your-queue-url> --max-number-of-messages 10
  

Note: Your IAM credentials need permissions like sqs:GetQueueAttributes, sqs:ListQueues, and sqs:ReceiveMessage—since you mentioned having necessary access for SES/SQS integration, this should already be set up.

If you prefer writing a quick script, AWS SDKs for languages like Python, JavaScript, or Java work perfectly with API credentials. For example, using Python’s boto3:

import boto3
import os

# Load credentials from environment variables (safer than hardcoding)
sqs = boto3.client(
    'sqs',
    aws_access_key_id=os.getenv('AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID'),
    aws_secret_access_key=os.getenv('AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'),
    region_name=os.getenv('AWS_REGION')
)

# Replace with your queue URL
queue_url = "https://sqs.<your-region>.amazonaws.com/<account-id>/<queue-name>"

# Fetch queue status attributes
status = sqs.get_queue_attributes(
    QueueUrl=queue_url,
    AttributeNames=['ApproximateNumberOfMessages', 'ApproximateNumberOfMessagesNotVisible']
)
print(f"Queue Status: {status['Attributes']}")

# Retrieve up to 10 messages
messages = sqs.receive_message(QueueUrl=queue_url, MaxNumberOfMessages=10)
if 'Messages' in messages:
    print("\nReceived Messages:")
    for msg in messages['Messages']:
        print(f"Message ID: {msg['MessageId']}\nBody: {msg['Body']}\n---")
        # Optional: Delete the message after processing
        # sqs.delete_message(QueueUrl=queue_url, ReceiptHandle=msg['ReceiptHandle'])

This script lets you automate checks or integrate queue monitoring into your existing workflows.

If you prefer a visual interface, there are reputable tools that support API key authentication:

• AWS Explorer for VS Code: This extension lets you connect to AWS services (including SQS) using your credentials. You can view queue stats, browse messages, and even send/delete messages directly from the editor.
• SQS Explorer (Desktop App): A dedicated tool for SQS management—just input your access keys and region, and you’ll get a dashboard with queue metrics and message content.
  Always ensure you’re using trusted tools to avoid exposing your credentials to malicious software.

Key Notes #

• Never hardcode your API credentials in scripts or config files—use environment variables or the AWS credentials file (~/.aws/credentials) instead.
• Double-check your IAM policy to confirm it includes the necessary SQS permissions if you run into access errors.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者cytsunny