The Command Line Interface is the preferred tool for a developer focused on automation, as it allows for powerful scripting capabilities and can be integrated directly with shell scripts. This approach provides a programmatic way to manage resources which is in line with the need for automation and is particularly useful for those familiar with command-line tools. The Management Console is better suited for manual, interactive tasks, which is not ideal for the developer's requirements. While CodeBuild is a service for building and testing code, not for broad service management, and SDKs are mainly used for application development rather than direct management of services.