How to Deploy a Web App on AWS EC2 (2025 Edition)

Deploying a web application on AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a crucial skill for developers, DevOps engineers, and IT professionals aiming to build scalable, secure, and high-performance web solutions. Whether you’re launching a portfolio site, a SaaS product, or an internal dashboard, EC2 offers robust infrastructure with the flexibility of the cloud. (How to Deploy a Web App on AWS EC2 | Step-by-Step Guide (2025))

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to deploy a web app on AWS EC2—from instance creation to configuration, deployment, and securing your app. This blog is optimized for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and IT professionals across the GCC and beyond.

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Table of Contents – (How to Deploy a Web App on AWS EC2 | Step-by-Step Guide (2025))

What is AWS EC2?
Prerequisites for Deployment
Setting Up an EC2 Instance
Connecting to Your Instance via SSH
Installing Required Software
Uploading Your Web App Files
Configuring Web Server (Apache/Nginx)
Setting Up a Domain with Route 53
Enabling HTTPS with SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
Automating with User Data & Scripts
Securing the EC2 Instance
Scaling with Load Balancers and Auto Scaling
Cost Optimization Tips
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Conclusion and Next Steps

1. What is AWS EC2? – (How to Deploy a Web App on AWS EC2 | Step-by-Step Guide (2025))

AWS EC2 is a virtual server that allows users to run applications in the AWS cloud. It provides scalable compute capacity with various OS choices and instance types suited for different workloads.

2. Prerequisites for Deployment

Before getting started, ensure you have:

An AWS account
Basic understanding of Linux commands
Your web app (Node.js, Python, PHP, or static files)
A domain name (optional, but recommended)

3. Setting Up an EC2 Instance

Log in to the o AWS Console
Navigate to EC2 Dashboard → Launch Instance
Choose an AMI (Amazon Machine Image): Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is a common choice
Choose an instance type (t2.micro for free-tier users)
Configure instance details (e.g., VPC, subnet)
Add storage (default 8 GB is fine for small apps)
Add tags (Name: MyWebAppServer)
Configure security group (open ports 22, 80, 443)
Review and Launch
Download the PEM key securely

4. Connecting to Your Instance via SSH

chmod 400 your-key.pem
ssh -i "your-key.pem" ubuntu@your-ec2-public-ip

5. Installing Required Software

Depending on your app state,k: For Node.js:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs npm -y

For Python:

sudo apt install python3-pip

For PHP & Apache:

sudo apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php -y

6. Uploading Your Web App Files

Use scp or GitHub clone:

scp -i your-key.pem -r ./your-app-folder ubuntu@your-ec2-public-ip:/home/ubuntu/

git clone https://github.com/your-repo.git

7. Configuring Web Server (Apache/Nginx)

Apache (PHP):

sudo mv your-app-folder /var/www/html/
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Nginx (Node.js):

sudo apt install nginx -y
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

Example config:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
    proxy_http_version 1.1;
    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
    proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
}

Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

8. Setting Up a Domain with Route 53

Buy/register r domain or an important existing one into AWS Route 53
Create a hosted zone
Adan, a record to point to EC2 Public IP
Wait for DNS propagation

9. Enabling HTTPS with SSL (Let’s Encrypt)

Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx

Auto-renewal:

sudo systemctl enable certbot.timer

10. Automating with User Data & Scripts

During EC2 launch, add a startup script:

#!/bin/bash
apt update
apt install -y apache2
systemctl start apache2

11. Securing the EC2 Instance

Disable root login
Use fail2ban to block brute force
Regularly update software
Use CloudWatch for logs and monitoring

12. Scaling with Load Balancers and Auto Scaling

Set up an Elastic Load Balancer (ELB)
Create an Auto Scaling Group
Define policies based on CPU/memory
Add EC2 instances to the group

13. Cost Optimization Tips

Use spot instances for dev/test environments
Stop unused EC2s
Set up billing alarms
Use AWS Cost Explorer to track usage

14. Troubleshooting Common Issues

SSH Connection Fails: Check security group rules, use the correct PEM file
App Not Loading: Confirm web server is running, check logs in /var/log
Domain Not Working: Wait for DNS to propagate, check Route 53 configs

15. Conclusion and Next Steps

Deploying a web app on AWS EC2 empowers you with control and scalability. As businesses in Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia increasingly embrace cloud-first strategies, mastering EC2 deployment can give your career or startup a competitive edge.

Next Steps:

Set up CI/CD pipelines using AWS CodeDeploy
Use S3 and CloudFront for static assets
Learn about Amazon ECS and EKS for containerized apps

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