My First S3 Static Website

Why Host on S3?

Cost-Effective

Pay only for the storage you use and the requests your site receives.

Highly Scalable

Handle any amount of traffic without worrying about server capacity.

Secure

Built-in security features and easy integration with CloudFront for HTTPS.

Reliable

99.99% availability backed by Amazon's global infrastructure.

How S3 Static Hosting Works

Create an S3 Bucket

Create a new bucket in the AWS S3 console with a unique name.

Upload Your Files

Upload your HTML, CSS, images, and other static files to the bucket.

Configure for Static Hosting

Enable static website hosting in the bucket properties and set index document.

Set Permissions

Update bucket policy to allow public access to your website files.

Getting Started with S3 Static Hosting

Example Bucket Policy for Public Access

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "PublicReadGetObject",
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Principal": "*",
      "Action": "s3:GetObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/*"
    }
  ]
}

Pro Tips

Use a domain name that matches your bucket name for easier setup
Enable versioning to keep track of changes to your website
Set up CloudFront for faster content delivery and HTTPS support
Use Route 53 to connect your custom domain to your S3 website

Helpful Resources

AWS Documentation

Official guides and documentation for S3 static website hosting

AWS CLI Commands

Useful commands for managing your S3 website via command line

Best Practices

Learn the best practices for hosting static websites on S3