Deploying Web Apps on AWS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

AWS Doesn't Have to Be Overwhelming

First time logging into AWS? 200+ services staring at you? Don't panic. For web applications, you need a handful of services.

The Only AWS Services You Need

1. EC2 - Virtual servers (or use Lightsail for simplicity)

2. RDS - Managed databases

3. S3 - File storage

4. CloudFront - CDN for fast delivery

5. Route 53 - Domain management

Deploying a Node.js App: Step by Step

Step 1: Launch an EC2 instance

• Choose Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• Select t2.micro (free tier!)
• Configure security group: open ports 22, 80, 443

Step 2: SSH into your server

ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-ip-address

Step 3: Install dependencies

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs npm nginx

Step 4: Deploy your code

git clone your-repo
cd your-app
npm install
npm run build

Step 5: Set up Nginx as reverse proxy

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
    }
}

Cost-Saving Tips

• Use reserved instances for 40-60% savings
• Set up billing alerts immediately
• Use S3 for static assets instead of serving from EC2
• Use CloudFront to reduce server load

Alternatives to Consider

• AWS Lightsail: Simplified EC2 with predictable pricing
• Vercel/Netlify: For static sites and Next.js apps
• Railway/Render: Heroku-like simplicity on modern infrastructure

Start simple. Scale when you need to. And always set billing alerts.