Deploying React App on AWS – A Complete Guide
Frontend
developers often build React applications for dynamic, modern web experiences,
but deploying them for public access requires reliable and scalable
infrastructure. Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides several ways to host and
deploy React apps, ranging from simple static hosting to more advanced
full-stack setups. By using AWS, developers can achieve high availability,
scalability, and cost efficiency while streamlining DevOps processes.
Why Deploy React Apps on AWS?
AWS is a
leading cloud platform known for flexibility and performance. For React
applications, it offers:
- A scalable and secure hosting environment
- Multiple deployment options, from S3 static hosting to advanced CI/CD pipelines
- Integration with backend services like APIs, databases, and authentication
- Global content delivery with AWS CloudFront
- Deployment Options for React Apps
- Hosting on Amazon S3 and CloudFront
- The easiest and most cost-effective way to deploy a React application is storing it as static files (HTML, JS, CSS) on Amazon S3, then accelerating it with AWS CloudFront for global distribution.
Steps:
Build React
project using npm run build or yarn build.
Upload the
build folder to an S3 bucket.
Enable static
website hosting in S3 settings.
Configure an
AWS CloudFront distribution for better performance, caching, HTTPS, and global
reach.
Using AWS
Amplify
AWS Amplify is
a developer-friendly service that allows fast deployments of frontend
frameworks. Ideal for teams, it provides built-in support for CI/CD, Git
integration, authentication (Cognito), and backend APIs.
Steps:
- Connect your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repo to Amplify.
- Amplify automatically detects React and creates a build pipeline.
- Adjust build settings in amplify.yml if needed.
- Deploy with one click, and Amplify provisions your app with a custom domain and SSL.
- Deploying on EC2 with Nginx
For developers
wanting more control:
- Launch an EC2 instance and configure security groups for HTTP/HTTPS.
- Install Node.js and Nginx on the instance.
- Build the React app locally or on the server.
- Copy build files to Nginx’s web root (/var/www/html).
- Restart Nginx and access the app via the EC2 public DNS or custom domain.
- This method offers greater flexibility, but requires manual setup of scaling and monitoring.
Adding CI/CD for Automation
To streamline
deployments, AWS provides:
- CodePipeline + CodeBuild: Automate builds, tests, and deployments.
- Amplify CI/CD: Automatic deployments on every Git commit.
- GitHub Actions + AWS CLI: Push changes directly from GitHub to AWS infrastructure.
Best Practices for AWS Deployment
- Always build your React app in production mode for optimization.
- Use CloudFront for faster global distribution and SSL management.
- For dynamic backends (APIs, authentication), pair React with API Gateway, Lambda, DynamoDB, or RDS.
- Configure budget monitoring with AWS Cost Explorer to manage expenses.
- Secure your S3 buckets, EC2 instances, and domains with appropriate IAM roles and permissions.
Conclusion
Deploying a React app on AWS can be as simple or
as flexible as your use case demands. For most projects, S3 + CloudFront or AWS
Amplify offers the fastest route to production. For teams needing full control,
EC2 with Nginx is a viable choice. The breadth of AWS services ensures your
application scales seamlessly, integrates with backends, and reaches users
worldwide with minimal latency