aws connection helper for python. Allows you to use a single call to get either a client or resource and also has sts support built in. If you use this, I'd appreciate feedback.

gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/env python

import boto3
import sys

"""
    Generic AWS Helper call class to setup a boto3 Session.  Now with assume role support.

    Pass in 'type=' to do either 'client' or 'resource'

    usage:

    ec2 = aws(type='client', service_name='ec2')
    sqs_resource = aws(type='resource', service_name='sqs', RoleArn='arn:aws:iam::012345678901:role/example-role',
                       RoleSessionName='SomeSessionName')

    This will allow for either using your ~/.aws credentials or allow you to override in the function calls.
    Python 2 and 3 compatible without six.
"""


def aws(type='client', **kwargs):
    """
    This makes boto3 connection. Client is the default.
    :param: type (str) - client type.  Either "resource" or "client" right now
    :param: **kwargs - anything else passed in.
    :returns: Your aws object type you requested.
    """
    myargs = {}
    if 'service_name' not in kwargs:
        print("You need to specify a service_name")
        raise

    myargs.update(**kwargs)
    if 'RoleArn' in kwargs and 'RoleSessionName' in myargs:
        stscreds = __role_arn_to_session(**myargs)
        myargs.update(stscreds)

    myargs = __stripargs(**myargs)
    session = boto3.Session()
    client = eval("session." + type)(**myargs)
    return client


# sts assume role
# originally from: https://gist.github.com/gene1wood/938ff578fbe57cf894a105b4107702de
# slightly modified.
def __role_arn_to_session(**args):
    """
    Pass in at least "RoleArn" and "RoleSessionName" with your args in the 'aws' function above.
    """
    clientargs = __stripargs(**args)
    stsargs = __stripargs(sts=True, **args)
    clientargs['service_name'] = 'sts'
    client = boto3.client(**clientargs)
    response = client.assume_role(**stsargs)
    return {
        'aws_access_key_id': response['Credentials']['AccessKeyId'],
        'aws_secret_access_key': response['Credentials']['SecretAccessKey'],
        'aws_session_token': response['Credentials']['SessionToken']}


# Used to strip out STS arguments.
def __stripargs(sts=False, **args):
    stsTuple = ('RoleArn', 'RoleSessionName', 'Policy', 'DurationSeconds', 'ExternalId', 'SerialNumber', 'TokenCode')
    clientargs = dict(args)
    stsargs = {}
    # Check if python 3 or newer. If not, then it's probably 2.
    if sys.version_info.major >= 3:
        for k,v in args.items():
            if k in stsTuple:
                stsargs[k] = v
                del clientargs[k]
    else:
        for k, v in args.iteritems():
            if k in stsTuple:
                stsargs[k] = v
                del clientargs[k]

    if sts is not True:
        return clientargs
    else:
        return stsargs

I have updated this to be python2&3 compatible. A little repetition, but doesn't require an additional library installation.