Deploying an react app on AWS using S3 and CloudFront

Introduction

Deploying a React app in a scalable and secure manner is crucial. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a combination of Amazon S3 for static web hosting and AWS CloudFront as a content delivery network (CDN) to ensure efficient content distribution. In this article, we'll walk you through deploying a React app on AWS S3 with AWS CloudFront for optimal performance and security.

Steps to Deploy a React App on AWS S3 with AWS CloudFront:

1. Build Your React App:

Navigate to your React app's directory and build the production-ready bundle by running:

npm run build

2. Create an S3 Bucket:

Log in to the AWS Management Console.
Open the Amazon S3 service.
Create an S3 bucket and name it as your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com). Ensure public access settings are properly configured.

3. Upload Files to S3 Bucket:

Upload the contents of the build directory generated in step 1 to your S3 bucket.

4. Enable Static Website Hosting:

In the S3 bucket settings, enable static website hosting. Specify the index and error documents (typically index.html and index.html).

5. Set Permissions:

In your S3 bucket, configure the permissions to allow public access. Create a bucket policy that makes your content public

6. Create an AWS CloudFront Distribution:

Go to AWS CloudFront in the AWS Management Console.
Create a new distribution with your S3 bucket as the origin. Choose the Web distribution type.

7. Set Default Root Object:

In the CloudFront distribution settings, set the default root object to index.html.

8. Configure SSL Certificate (Optional):

You can set up a custom SSL certificate for your domain using AWS Certificate Manager if you need HTTPS support.

9. Update Domain DNS:

Update your domain's DNS settings to point to the CloudFront distribution URL provided.

10. Wait for DNS Propagation:

DNS changes may take some time to propagate. Be patient and allow time for the changes to take effect.

11. Access Your React App:

Once the DNS has propagated, your React app should be accessible via your domain over HTTPS if you set up an SSL certificate.

Benefits of Deploying on AWS S3 with AWS CloudFront:

Scalability: AWS CloudFront automatically scales to handle traffic spikes, ensuring a responsive React app.
Global Distribution: With CloudFront's global network of edge locations, your app is served quickly to users around the world.
Security: AWS S3 and CloudFront provide security features to protect your app from common web security threats.
Low Latency: Edge locations ensure low latency and faster load times for your React app.
Cost Efficiency: You only pay for the data transfer and requests you use, making it a cost-effective solution.

Conclusion

Deploying a React app on AWS S3 with AWS CloudFront is an excellent choice for achieving a scalable and secure web application. This setup leverages the power of a content delivery network to provide low latency and global distribution. As your application grows, it can seamlessly handle increasing traffic while maintaining the highest level of security and reliability.

Tags: architecture

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