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In this guide, you’ll learn how to serve a fully static website—HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and media—directly from an Amazon S3 bucket. We’ll cover how static hosting works, pricing considerations, and steps to configure a custom domain.
Static website hosting on Amazon S3 supports only static files. If your site requires server-side processing, consider integrating Amazon EC2, Amazon ECS, or AWS Lambda.

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Understanding Static Websites

When a user enters a URL, their browser sends an HTTP GET request to a web server, which responds with files that the browser renders. Common file types include:
File TypePurpose
HTMLDefines the page structure and content.
CSSStyles layout, fonts, colors, and spacing.
JavaScriptAdds interactivity and dynamic behavior on the client side.
Images & MediaProvides visual and audio assets for the page.
By uploading these files as objects in an S3 bucket and enabling static website hosting, you can serve them directly over HTTP.
The image is an infographic about static hosting, explaining that it allows access to website files through HTTP and provides a URL via S3. It notes that it's used only for static websites and requires a specific format for domain customization.

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How Static Hosting Works

  1. Upload your site assets (HTML, CSS, JS, images) to an S3 bucket.
  2. In the bucket Properties, enable Static website hosting.
  3. Specify your index.html (and optional error.html) documents.
  4. Use the assigned S3 website endpoint to deliver your content.

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Pricing Overview

Static hosting on S3 involves standard storage and data transfer fees, plus a small request charge. For example, on S3 Standard, GET requests cost $0.0004 per 1,000 requests.
Cost ComponentPricing (S3 Standard)
StoragePay per GB stored per month
Data Transfer (Out)Pay per GB transferred out
HTTP GET Requests$0.0004 per 1,000 requests
The image shows a pricing table for different types of data requests and retrievals, including S3 Standard and S3 Intelligent-Tiering, with associated costs per 1,000 requests and per GB.
Factor in both storage and request fees when estimating your total hosting cost.

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Accessing Your Static Site

After enabling static website hosting, S3 assigns an endpoint in this format: 
http://bucketname.s3-website-<region-name>.amazonaws.com
Point your users to this URL to serve your static site directly from S3.

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Using a Custom Domain

To replace the default S3 URL with your own domain, configure DNS using Amazon Route 53 or another provider. Your bucket name must exactly match the domain you wish to use. For example:
  • Bucket name: bestcars.com
  • Custom domain: http://bestcars.com
In Route 53, create an Alias record (or CNAME) that maps bestcars.com to your S3 website endpoint.
Your S3 bucket name must match your custom domain (example.com). If they differ, DNS routing will fail and your site will be inaccessible.
The image illustrates a process involving a custom domain name, showing a user, a Route 53 icon, a URL (http://bestcars.com), and a server.

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Further Reading

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