Deploying a web application on AWS EC2 might sound overwhelming, but it’s a skill every developer should have in their toolkit. In this blog, I’ll show you how I successfully deployed a Node.js application on EC2 using AWS’s free-tier services and a GitHub project. With this step-by-step guide, even beginners can follow along and achieve their first deployment.
Step 1: Set Up Your AWS Account and IAM User
Why IAM Matters
IAM (Identity and Access Management) allows you to securely manage access to AWS resources. For this guide, we’ll create a user with administrator access for simplicity, but it’s recommended to follow the principle of least privilege in production setups.
Steps:
Create an AWS Account: If you don’t already have one, sign up at aws.amazon.com.
Navigate to the IAM Console: After logging in, go to the IAM console.
Add a New User:
Click on Users in the left sidebar and select Add user.
Assign the user administrator access (for this tutorial only).
Save Access Keys:
- AWS will provide you with a password and access key. Save these securely as they’ll be needed later.
Note: For production environments, use specific permissions instead of full administrator access.
Step 2: Launch an EC2 Instance
Why EC2?
AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides resizable compute capacity, making it ideal for hosting web applications.
Steps:
Navigate to the EC2 Console:
- From the AWS Management Console, go to EC2.
Launch an Instance:
- Click Launch Instance and choose the Ubuntu Amazon Machine Image (AMI).
Select an Instance Type:
- Choose
t2.micro, which is free-tier eligible and sufficient for small applications.
- Choose
Create a Key Pair:
- Download the
.pemfile and store it securely. This file is essential for accessing your EC2 instance via SSH.
- Download the
Configure and Launch:
- Use the default configurations or modify them as needed. Finally, click Launch Instance.
Pro Tip: Choose a region close to your target audience for reduced latency.
Step 3: Access Your EC2 Instance
Steps:
Set Permissions for the .pem File: Run the following command to ensure your key file has the correct permissions:
chmod 400 your-key.pemSSH Into the Instance: Use the public IP of your EC2 instance to SSH in:
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@<ec2-public-ip>
Troubleshooting Tip: If you encounter SSH errors, ensure your security group allows inbound traffic on port 22.
Step 4: Clone the GitHub Repository
Why Git?
Git allows you to download and manage code repositories. For this tutorial, we’ll use the AWS-Session project as an example.
Steps:
Install Git:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install gitClone the Repository:
git clone https://github.com/verma-kunal/AWS-Session.git cd AWS-SessionThe repository contains a Node.js application that we’ll deploy.
Step 5: Install Dependencies
Steps:
Install Node.js and npm: If not already installed, run:
sudo apt-get install nodejs sudo apt-get install npmVerify the installation:
node -v npm -vInstall Project Dependencies: Navigate to the project folder and run:
npm install
Step 6: Run the Application
Steps:
Start the Application: Run the following command:
npm run startEnsure the correct entry point (e.g.,
server.js) is specified in yourpackage.jsonfile.Access the Application: Open your browser and go to the public IP of your EC2 instance, followed by the port number (e.g.,
http://<ec2-public-ip>:3000).
Security Note: Update your security group to allow inbound traffic on the application’s port (e.g., port 3000).
Special Thanks
A big thank you to Kunal Verma for the AWS-Session repository. The clear instructions and well-structured project made this deployment seamless for beginners.
Conclusion
Deploying a Node.js application on AWS EC2 is a fantastic way to dive into cloud computing. By following this guide, you’ve gained hands-on experience with setting up an EC2 instance, configuring it, and running a web application.
Feel free to share your deployment experiences or ask questions in the comments. Happy coding! 🚀