Implement static website hosting in S3 by creating a bucket, disabling 'Block all public access', enabling static website hosting with an index document, uploading site files, and applying a bucket policy for public read access.
Amazon S3 can host static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images) without needing a web server. This is a cost-effective way to deploy sites like portfolios, landing pages, or documentation[citation:5]. The process involves configuring an S3 bucket specifically for website hosting, managing public access settings carefully, and applying the correct permissions to make your content accessible to visitors.
Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon S3 console[citation:2][citation:7].
Click 'Create bucket'[citation:7]. Enter a globally unique bucket name (must be unique across all AWS accounts) and select your preferred AWS Region[citation:6][citation:7].
For object ownership, the recommended setting is 'ACLs disabled' (preferred for simplified permissions) unless you have a specific need for legacy Access Control Lists[citation:7].
By default, 'Block all public access' is enabled for security. To host a public website, you need to disable this setting[citation:1][citation:6][citation:7].
Under the 'Block Public Access settings for this bucket', uncheck 'Block all public access'[citation:7].
Acknowledge the warning that this will make the bucket public[citation:7].
Complete the bucket creation with default values for other settings[citation:5][citation:7].
Navigate to the bucket's 'Properties' tab[citation:2][citation:5].
Scroll down to the 'Static website hosting' section and click 'Edit'[citation:2][citation:3].
Select 'Enable' for static website hosting[citation:2][citation:3].
For 'Hosting type', choose 'Host a static website'[citation:2][citation:3].
Specify 'Index document' (required) – typically 'index.html'[citation:2][citation:5]. Important: Enter just 'index.html' without any leading slash (/)[citation:2][citation:3].
Optionally, specify 'Error document' – e.g., 'error.html' for custom error pages[citation:6][citation:9][citation:10].
Click 'Save changes'[citation:2][citation:3]. Note the generated 'Bucket website endpoint' URL – this is where your site will be accessible[citation:5][citation:7].
Open your bucket and click 'Upload'[citation:7].
Add your website files: the main 'index.html' and any supporting files (CSS, JavaScript, images, folders)[citation:5][citation:7].
Use 'Add files' for individual files and 'Add folder' to maintain folder structures[citation:7].
Click 'Upload' to complete[citation:7].
After enabling static hosting, your site will not yet be accessible—you'll receive '403 Access Denied' because S3 objects remain private by default[citation:5][citation:6].
To fix this, go to the bucket's 'Permissions' tab[citation:5][citation:7].
Scroll to 'Bucket policy' and click 'Edit'[citation:5][citation:7].
Paste the following policy (replace 'your-bucket-name' with your actual bucket name)[citation:5][citation:6][citation:7]:
{ "Version": "2012-10-17", "Statement": [ { "Sid": "PublicReadGetObject", "Effect": "Allow", "Principal": "", "Action": "s3:GetObject", "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/" } ] }
Important: Keep the '/*' at the end of the ARN to grant access to all objects in the bucket[citation:10].
Click 'Save changes'[citation:5].
Return to the 'Properties' tab, find the 'Static website hosting' section, and copy the 'Bucket website endpoint' URL[citation:5][citation:7]. Paste this URL into a browser. Your static website should now load successfully[citation:5][citation:10].
This configuration grants public read access to all objects in your bucket. Only use this for static website content that should be publicly accessible[citation:7][citation:10].
For production deployments, AWS recommends using Amazon CloudFront as a CDN in front of your S3 bucket. This enables HTTPS, provides caching, and allows you to keep your bucket private using Origin Access Control (OAC)[citation:1][citation:2][citation:3].
After completing your lab or if the website is no longer needed, delete the bucket to avoid ongoing storage costs[citation:5].
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