Stepping into Storage: A Guide to Creating an S3 Bucket and Uploading Files on AWS
Tags: aws, s3, cloudcomputing, storage
Published: 2024-06-18 03:39:01

Hi DEV Community 👋 ! I'm so excited to discuss one of my favorite foundational aspects of computing- **STORAGE!** 

**[Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)](https://aws.amazon.com/s3/)** is a scalable object storage service widely used for storing and retrieving any amount of data. Whether you're hosting a static website, storing backups, or logging data, S3 provides a robust and flexible solution. In this guide, I'll walk you through the steps to create your first S3 bucket.

## **Prerequisites**
Before you start, you'll need:
1.. An AWS account. If you don't have one, you can sign up for free [here](https://signin.aws.amazon.com/signup?request_type=register).
2.. AWS Management Console access.

## **Step 1: Sign in to the AWS Management Console**
1.. Go to the [AWS Management Console](https://aws.amazon.com/console/).
2.. Sign in with your AWS account credentials.

## **Step 2: Open the S3 Service**
1.. In the AWS Management Console, type "S3" in the search bar at the top and select "S3" from the drop-down list.
2.. This will take you to the Amazon S3 dashboard.

## **Step 3: Create a New S3 Bucket**
1.. On the S3 dashboard, click on the "Create bucket" button.

## **Step 4: Configure the Following Bucket Settings**

1.. Bucket Name: Enter a unique name for your bucket. The name must be globally unique across all existing bucket names in S3.

- _Example: my-unique-bucket-name-12345_

2.. Region: Select the AWS Region where you want the bucket to be created. Choose a region close to your primary user base to reduce latency and costs.

- _Example: US East (N. Virginia)_

3.. Bucket Settings for Object Ownership: By default, new buckets have the "ACLs disabled" option selected, meaning the bucket owner has full control over the objects.

4.. Block Public Access Settings: For most use cases, it’s recommended to block all public access. However, if you need public access for web hosting or other reasons, you can adjust these settings.

- _Example: Leave "Block all public access" checked for a private bucket._

5.. Bucket Versioning: Enable versioning if you want to keep multiple versions of an object in the same bucket. This is useful for data backup and recovery.

- _Example: You can leave it disabled for now and enable it later if needed._

6.. Tags: You can add tags (key-value pairs) to your bucket to help with cost allocation and management.

7.. Default Encryption: Enable default encryption if you want all objects stored in this bucket to be automatically encrypted.

- _Example: Enable server-side encryption with Amazon S3 managed keys (SSE-S3)._

## **Step 5: Review and Create the Bucket**
1.. Review your settings to ensure everything is configured correctly.
2.. Click the "Create bucket" button at the bottom of the page.

## **Step 6: Upload Files to Your S3 Bucket**
1.. Once the bucket is created, you'll be redirected back to the S3 dashboard.
2.. Click on the "Upload" button.

**Add Files**
1.. Click "Add files" and select the files you want to upload from your local machine.
2.. Optionally, you can add entire folders by clicking "Add folder."

**Set Permissions**
1.. By default, the files will be private. If you need to make them public, adjust the permissions accordingly. However, for most cases, keeping the default private setting is recommended.

**Set Properties**
1.. You can configure various properties like storage class, encryption, and metadata. For now, you can leave these at their default settings.

**Review and Upload**
1.. Review your settings and click "Upload" to start the upload process.

## **Congratulations!**

You've successfully created an S3 bucket and uploaded files. Amazon S3 is a powerful tool for storing and managing data in the cloud, and mastering these basics will help you leverage its full potential.

Please share your feedback on this guide by commenting below. I'm looking forward to sharing more AWS content and engaging with the cloud community. Until next time ✌️!