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AWS Amplify vs. CloudFront + S3: Choosing the Best Static Website Hosting

AWS Amplify vs. CloudFront + S3: Choosing the Best Static Website Hosting

Introduction

For hosting static websites on AWS, AWS Amplify is quickly becoming the recommended choice, particularly for applications that require user-friendly URLs and a smooth deployment experience. Although CloudFront + S3 with Origin Access Control (OAC) is a common setup, it lacks support for certain key features like subdirectory URLs that automatically load index.html. This article compares AWS Amplify and CloudFront + S3 and explores why Amplify is often the better choice for static websites.

Key Advantages of AWS Amplify Hosting for Static Websites

AWS Amplify Hosting simplifies static website deployment by addressing common challenges out of the box, such as URL rewrites and CI/CD support. Here’s what makes Amplify Hosting ideal for static sites:

  1. Automatic URL Rewrites for SPAs:

    • Amplify configures URL rewrites for Single Page Applications (SPAs) and static sites automatically, eliminating the need to manually set up routing rules.

  2. Subdirectory Index Handling:

    • Amplify redirects subdirectory URLs (e.g., /about) to index.html without requiring additional configuration, enabling SEO-friendly URLs.

  3. Framework Compatibility:

    • Amplify offers built-in support for popular frameworks like React, Angular, Vue, and more, making it easy to integrate and deploy modern web applications.

Sample Amplify Configuration

Here’s a simple amplify.yml configuration for deploying a typical static site with Amplify Hosting:

version: 1 frontend: phases: build: commands: - npm install - npm run build artifacts: baseDirectory: build # or dist, depending on your build setup files: - ’/*’ cache: paths: - node_modules//*

In this configuration:

  • npm install and npm run build commands install dependencies and build the app.
  • The base directory (e.g., build or dist) specifies where Amplify should find the build output.
  • Files are deployed directly from the specified base directory.

Amplify Hosting Features vs. CloudFront + S3

Here’s how Amplify Hosting compares to CloudFront + S3 on key features:

  1. Zero-Configuration URL Rewrites:

    • Amplify automatically handles URL rewrites, including subdirectory redirects for SPAs.
    • CloudFront + S3 requires additional configuration for each route, which can be complex for SPAs.

  2. Built-in CI/CD Pipeline:

    • Amplify provides an integrated CI/CD pipeline, automating the build and deployment process on code changes.
    • With CloudFront + S3, you would need to set up and maintain a separate CI/CD pipeline.

  3. Automatic HTTPS/SSL Management:

    • Amplify manages SSL certificates automatically, ensuring secure HTTPS connections.
    • CloudFront + S3 also supports SSL but requires configuring AWS Certificate Manager manually.

  4. Branch-Based and Preview Deployments:

    • Amplify allows you to deploy branches and create preview deployments for pull requests, making it easy to review changes before merging.
    • CloudFront + S3 lacks built-in support for branch-based deployments or previews, requiring additional configuration.

  5. Cache Invalidation:

    • Amplify performs instant cache invalidation on deployment, ensuring users always see the latest content.
    • With CloudFront + S3, you must manually trigger cache invalidation, which can incur additional costs.

Cost Comparison: CloudFront + S3 vs. Amplify Hosting

While both Amplify and CloudFront + S3 offer cost-effective solutions for static sites, the pricing model and additional features vary:

  1. Amplify Hosting:

    • Pricing is based on requests, data transfer, and build time, with no fixed costs for hosting.
    • Amplify includes 5 GB of storage, 1000 build minutes per month, and 15 GB of data transfer per month within the free tier.

  2. CloudFront + S3:

    • S3 storage and data transfer are billed separately from CloudFront, which is billed based on requests and data transfer.
    • CloudFront’s caching can reduce S3 data transfer costs, but you may incur extra costs for invalidating the cache manually.

Example Cost Scenarios

For a basic static site:

  • CloudFront + S3 could be less expensive if your site receives minimal traffic and has infrequent updates. You would pay mainly for S3 storage and CloudFront requests.
  • Amplify Hosting might cost slightly more due to additional features like CI/CD and cache invalidation, but the convenience and built-in tools could save time and resources, making it worth the expense.

For a site with frequent updates and heavy traffic:

  • Amplify Hosting may be more cost-effective due to the streamlined CI/CD and automatic cache invalidation.
  • CloudFront + S3 could become costly if you frequently invalidate the cache or have high data transfer, as each cache invalidation request incurs an extra cost.

Detailed Cost Example: Infrequent Load vs. High Load Website

Infrequent Load (Low-Traffic) Website

Assumptions:

  • Monthly Traffic: 10,000 requests
  • Monthly Data Transfer: 10 GB
  • Build Frequency: Once per month
  • S3 Storage: 5 GB for static assets
AWS Amplify Hosting Costs
  • Data Transfer: 10 GB (within free tier limit, so $0 for first 15 GB)
  • Requests: 10,000 (free within Amplify’s limit)
  • Build Time: 1 build, estimated at 10 minutes (within Amplify’s 1,000-minute free tier)

Estimated Cost for Amplify: $0 (within free tier limits)

CloudFront + S3 Costs
  • S3 Storage: 5 GB at $0.023/GB = $0.12
  • Data Transfer (S3 to CloudFront): No additional cost
  • Data Transfer (CloudFront to users): 10 GB at $0.085/GB = $0.85
  • Requests: 10,000 requests at $0.0075/10,000 requests = $0.0075

Estimated Cost for CloudFront + S3: ~$1.00/month

High Load (High-Traffic) Website

Assumptions:

  • Monthly Traffic: 1,000,000 requests
  • Monthly Data Transfer: 500 GB
  • Build Frequency: Weekly builds (4 per month), with ~10 minutes per build
  • S3 Storage: 10 GB for static assets
AWS Amplify Hosting Costs
  • Data Transfer: First 15 GB free; 485 GB at $0.15/GB = $72.75
  • Requests: 1,000,000 (free tier limit reached; no charge for additional requests)
  • Build Time: 40 minutes (4 builds at 10 min each) within 1,000 free tier minutes

Estimated Cost for Amplify: ~$72.75/month

CloudFront + S3 Costs
  • S3 Storage: 10 GB at $0.023/GB = $0.23
  • Data Transfer (S3 to CloudFront): No additional cost
  • Data Transfer (CloudFront to users): 500 GB at $0.085/GB = $42.50
  • Requests: 1,000,000 requests at $0.0075/10,000 requests = $0.75
  • Cache Invalidation (Weekly): Estimated at $5 for 4 invalidation requests per month.

Estimated Cost for CloudFront + S3: ~$48.48/month

Conclusion

AWS Amplify Hosting offers significant advantages over the CloudFront + S3 setup for static websites, including seamless URL rewrites, integrated CI/CD, and automated cache management. While Amplify may be slightly more expensive, the reduced development time and improved deployment experience often justify the additional cost. For websites with complex routing or frequent updates, Amplify’s features make it a compelling choice for streamlined static site hosting.

Published Nov 3, 2024

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