Transition to the Digital Era

The image above was generated with DALL E using Chatgpt

The idea behind the image was the transition from old to new as business processess are being transitioned to the digital realm.

Project Overview: This project showcases the integration of a dynamic, secure, cloud-hosted resume website leveraging a range of AWS services, programming languages, and modern development practices. The core objectives were to ensure cloud-based hosting, enforce HTTPS for security, and feature a real-time view/visitor counter.

Cloud Services and Technologies Used:

AWS Services: S3, CloudFront, DynamoDB, Lambda, ACM, Route 53, CloudWatch Logs

Development Tools: ChatGPT (for script editing), GitHub (for source control and CI/CD)

Programming Languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python

Implementation Details:

Cloud Hosting with AWS S3: The website's static files, including HTML, CSS, and images, are stored in an AWS S3 bucket configured for web hosting. This setup serves as the backbone for the website's content storage.

Secure Content Delivery via CloudFront and ACM: AWS CloudFront, integrated with Origin Access Control, ensures that website files are accessible only through CloudFront. This setup facilitates secure content delivery over HTTPS, augmented with a TLS/SSL certificate provisioned through AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) for the custom domain, ensuring encrypted web traffic.

Visitor Counter with DynamoDB, Lambda, and JavaScript: A DynamoDB table was established to track the website's view/visitor count. AWS Lambda, triggered by each website visit, executes a Python script to update the view count in DynamoDB. This data is then retrieved and displayed on the website through JavaScript, providing a live count of site visits.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting with CloudWatch Logs: AWS CloudWatch Logs was employed to monitor and log any issues with the Lambda function, facilitating efficient troubleshooting and maintenance of the visitor counter feature.

Custom Domain Configuration with Route 53: A custom domain was acquired and configured using AWS Route 53, including setting up a hosted zone and alias records to link the CloudFront distribution with the custom domain, enhancing the website's professional appearance and accessibility.

Automated Deployment with GitHub and CI/CD: Source control and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) were managed through GitHub. A GitHub repository was linked with AWS S3 via GitHub Actions (defined in a YAML file), automating the deployment process. This setup ensures that updates pushed to GitHub are automatically deployed to the S3 bucket, keeping the website content up to date.

Cache Invalidation for Immediate Updates: Given CloudFront's caching mechanism for efficient content delivery, cache invalidation processes were implemented. This step ensures that content updates are immediately visible to website visitors, bypassing the cached data at edge locations.

Project Reflections: This project provided comprehensive hands-on experience with AWS cloud services, highlighting the practical application of cloud technologies in deploying and managing a secure, scalable web solution. The integration of various AWS services, alongside programming in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python, offered a deep dive into web development and cloud infrastructure management. It underlines the transformation of code from development to global distribution, emphasizing the power of cloud computing in modern web development.

I look forward to engaging in further projects, enhancing my skillset, and contributing to innovative solutions that add significant value.