Hosting a static website on Amazon S3 involves configuring an S3 bucket to serve HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files directly over the web without requiring a backend server.
S3 provides a built-in static website hosting feature that makes it easy to deploy and serve static content globally.
Steps to host a static website on S3:
1. Create an S3 bucket
- Go to the AWS Management Console
- Create a new bucket with a unique name
- Choose the appropriate region
2. Upload website files
- Upload your static files such as
index.html, CSS, JavaScript, and assets
- Ensure all required files are included
3. Enable static website hosting
- Open the bucket → Properties
- Enable Static website hosting
- Set the Index document (e.g.,
index.html)
- Optionally set an Error document (e.g.,
error.html)
4. Configure public access permissions
- Disable “Block all public access” (if required)
- Add a bucket policy to allow public read access to objects
5. Access the website endpoint
- After configuration, AWS provides a website URL (S3 endpoint)
- Use this URL to access your hosted static website
Important considerations:
- S3 static websites support only static content (no server-side code)
- By default, S3 website endpoints use HTTP (not HTTPS)
- For HTTPS and custom domains, Amazon CloudFront is commonly used in front of S3
Conclusion:
Hosting a static website on S3 is a simple and cost-effective way to deploy frontend applications. By enabling static website hosting, uploading files, and configuring permissions, you can quickly make your website publicly accessible over the internet.