This one is personal.

It was a random Friday evening and I had a ‘simple’ goal: host a static website on AWS S3 with my GoDaddy domain. I mean, how difficult can it be, right? Apparently quite, considering it took 10 articles, 4 tutorials, 2 videos, and an entire day of trying everything the internet had to offer.

But fret not! Your journey will be far smoother. Let’s embark on this adventure together, starting with the first and fundamental step: snagging yourself a catchy domain.

Content Overview

GoDaddy: Securing Your Slice of the Internet Pie!

(Learn how to acquire and set up a personal domain with GoDaddy.)

So, you’ve decided to establish your own little corner on the web. Exciting times ahead! Let’s begin with the basics: acquiring a domain.

Step 1: Choose Your Domain

Start by brainstorming a unique and memorable domain name that represents you or your project well. Keep it short, sweet, and easy to spell. Once you have a few options in mind, it’s time to head over to GoDaddy’s website.

Step 2: Search and Select

On GoDaddy’s homepage, enter your desired domain name into the search bar. If your first choice is taken, don’t despair! GoDaddy will offer alternative suggestions, or you can try a variation of your initial idea. Once you find an available domain that you love, add it to your cart by clicking on the Make it Yours button.

Step 3: Customize and Checkout

GoDaddy will offer various add-ons and options, like privacy protection and professional email addresses (<username>@yourdomain). Review these offerings, select the ones that fit your needs, and proceed to checkout. Complete the transaction, and voila, the domain is yours!

Step 4: Setup and Configuration

Now, with the domain in your possession, there might be a few setup steps and changes before it shows up on your desired URL. Configure your domain settings, connect it to your hosting (which we’ll dive into next), and ensure everything is in tip-top shape for launch. For this part of the setup we’ll be visiting your domain’s DNS Records and Forwarding rules.

And just like that, you’ve successfully secured your slice of the internet pie with GoDaddy! Stay tuned as we navigate through the next phase of our digital journey: hosting with AWS S3.

Amazon Web Services: Where Websites Fly First Class

(Introduction to hosting your website on Amazon Web Services’ S3.)

Welcome to the powerhouse of the internet: Amazon Web Services (AWS). If the web were an ocean, AWS would be its mightiest vessel, and today, you’re coming aboard to host your website in style.

Step 1: Navigating the AWS Landscape

AWS is vast, with a myriad of services that can be overwhelming for first-timers. Either log-in to your existing AWS account or create a new one.

Step 2: Creating an S3 Bucket

Think of a bucket as a storage unit for your website. Click on the ‘Create Bucket’ button. Here, you’ll name your bucket (usually, this should match your domain name for simplicity but its fine to name it anything you like), select a region closest to your target audience, and follow through with the default settings for now.

Step 3: Configuring the Bucket

Once your bucket is ready, it’s time for some configurations. Set the properties and permissions to make your bucket public (as it is private by default), enabling people to view your website. You’ll also set up static website hosting here by enabling the feature and designating your index and error documents.

Step 4: Uploading Content and Making it Public

With everything set up, you’re ready to upload your website’s files to the bucket. Simply drag and drop, or manually upload your HTML, CSS, and other files into your S3 bucket.

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


Step 5: Testing Your Live Site

AWS provides a unique endpoint for your hosted content. Click on this link, and if all is well, you’ll see your static website alive and kicking!

And there you have it! The initial descent into AWS might seem daunting, but with these steps, you’ve not only landed but set up base. Ready for the next adventure? We’ll delve into going live in the upcoming section.

Finally Done: Your Site is Live!

(A walkthrough of successfully hosting your website and seeing it go live.)

Congratulations, you’re almost there! Now, let’s bind everything together by pointing your shiny new GoDaddy domain to the AWS S3 bucket you’ve meticulously set up.

Migrating GoDaddy Domain to AWS S3 Bucket

Step 1: Getting an SSL Certificate with AWS ACM

Step 2: Updating DNS Records in GoDaddy

Step 3: Creating AWS CloudFront Distribution

Step 4: Pointing Domain to CloudFront and Final Adjustments

Unfortunately, GoDaddy’s standard DNS service does not support direct ALIAS or ANAME records to CloudFront. Therefore, the best practice is to set up a CNAME for the www subdomain and then redirect the root domain to the www subdomain. You already have a CNAME for www, so let’s modify that.

  1. Type: CNAME

  2. Name: www

  3. Data: [Your CloudFront domain name]

  4. TTL: 1 Hour (adjust as preferred)

  1. Go to DNS management for your domain in GoDaddy’s dashboard.
  2. Locate the “Forwarding” section and add “Domain” forwarding.
  3. Forward to: www.your-domain.com
  4. Redirect type: 301 (Permanent)
  5. Settings: Forward only

Once propagation concludes, accessing your-domain.com or www.your-domain.com should direct users to your site hosted on CloudFront securely via HTTPS.

Webmaster: Smooth Updates for Your Shiny, New Site

(Guidance on updating and maintaining your newly hosted website.)

Updating your static website hosted on AWS S3 is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to ensure your site stays fresh and up-to-date:

Step 1: Accessing AWS S3

Step 2: Updating Website Files

Step 3: File Permissions (if necessary)

Step 4: Clearing Cache (if using CloudFront)

Step 5: Testing

Celebration Time: You’re Live!

Congratulations on successfully navigating the digital waves to launch your shiny, new website! Your virtual real estate is now up, running, and ready to welcome visitors from around the globe, securely and swiftly.

This journey, while seemingly daunting, has brought you from domain registration with GoDaddy to secure, static website hosting on AWS S3, all the way to deploying with CloudFront for that extra speed and security layer. Cheers to your success! 🚀🎉