Creating a static website on AWS is a cost-effective, secure, and scalable solution that can enhance your online presence with minimal maintenance. This guide will walk you through every essential step, from setting up your domain to optimizing delivery, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.

1. Introduction to AWS for Website Deployment

AWS provides various services tailored for website deployment. Amazon S3, AWS Certificate Manager, Route 53, and CloudFront are critical players for a static site. Together, they create a robust platform for hosting a reliable, fast, and secure website.

2. Understanding AWS Pricing Structure

AWS offers flexible pricing, typically on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. S3 charges depend on storage, request, and data transfer, while CloudFront and Route 53 incur additional traffic and domain management fees. Familiarize yourself with the AWS pricing calculator to estimate costs based on expected usage.

3. Domain Registration and Configuration

If you don’t already have a domain, you can register one directly through AWS Route 53. Alternatively, if you own a domain from another provider, you can configure it to work with AWS services by updating the nameservers.

4. Setting Up an S3 Bucket for Hosting

  1. Navigate to the S3 console and create a new bucket.
  2. Name your bucket like your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) for easy DNS integration.

5. Uploading Website Content to S3

Upload all HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and media files into your S3 bucket. AWS S3 provides drag-and-drop functionality for easy upload.

6. Enabling Static Website Hosting Features

Once your files are uploaded:

  1. Select your bucket, go to the Properties tab, and enable Static website hosting.
  2. If needed, specify the index document (e.g., index.html) and error document.

7. Configuring Bucket Policies for Accessibility

To make your site publicly accessible:

  1. Go to the Permissions tab and edit the Bucket Policy.
  2. Add a policy that allows public read access to your bucket content, ensuring proper permissions for all files.

8. Testing the Website on S3

Your website is live on the S3 endpoint provided (e.g., http://your-bucket-name.s3-website-region.amazonaws.com). Test the site to ensure all pages load correctly.

9. Linking Your Domain to Your Website

To make your website accessible via your domain name:

  1. Open Route 53 and set up a Hosted Zone for your domain if you need to create it.
  2. Link your domain to the S3 bucket by creating appropriate DNS records.

10. Managing DNS Settings with Route 53

Route 53 lets you manage DNS settings efficiently. Point your domain to your S3-hosted website by creating an A record (or Alias record) in Route 53 that directs to the S3 website endpoint.

11. Creating DNS Records for Seamless Navigation

Create a CNAME record if you want to use www for your site (e.g., www.yourdomain.com). This will direct traffic from www to your primary domain.

12. Securing Your Website with AWS Certificate Manager

Security is crucial, especially with increased browser requirements for HTTPS. AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) offers free TLS/SSL certificates to secure your website.

13. Requesting and Validating a TLS/SSL Certificate

In ACM:

  1. Request a public certificate for your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com).
  2. Validate your certificate via DNS or email as per ACM’s instructions.

14. Enhancing Delivery with CloudFront

Amazon CloudFront, AWS’s CDN, improves load times by caching content at edge locations worldwide.

  1. Create a CloudFront distribution, selecting your S3 bucket as the origin.
  2. Configure cache settings and choose Redirect HTTP to HTTPS to enforce security.

15. Applying the TLS/SSL Certificate to CloudFront

  1. In your CloudFront settings, attach the TLS/SSL certificate obtained from ACM.
  2. Configure the domain name so that CloudFront recognizes and routes traffic correctly.

16. Adjusting Route 53 for CloudFront Traffic

Update your Route 53 DNS settings to point your domain’s traffic to CloudFront rather than the S3 endpoint, ensuring optimized delivery and security.

17. Final Verification of Website Accessibility

Once your CloudFront distribution and DNS updates propagate, test your site using various devices and locations. Confirm HTTPS enforcement and verify loading speed enhancements provided by CloudFront.

References

Host your simple marketing website or web application on AWS

Hosting a static website using Amazon S3