What do you want to learn about Amazon Web Services?

First off, it is incredibly exciting to see so many hungry to learn individuals in one place! When I first started programming I taught myself a lot of JS, HTML, and CSS before moving on to getting my degree in Computer Science. I believe the best way to learn anything is by actually doing stuff. That is how I have gotten to become an engineering manager and a Certified AWS Solutions Architect.

On that note I have spoken with a few FCC alum and code school alum here in Oregon. The one thing that comes up is people are hungry to learn AWS but find it incredibly overwhelming to do so. As someone that has learned a lot about AWS (and continues to learn everyday), I think the best way to learn is by doing.

Therefore, I have been writing a few blog articles recently about how to get started learning Amazon Web Services (AWS).

This has gotten me thinking about writing an ebook about learning AWS by working through practical problems and learning the services as you go. Before I get to far with that though I wanted to post here at FCC and see what you are hungry to learn with regards to AWS, or even just the cloud in general.

The cloud is not the most important thing for you to learn. However, as you progress you will want to learn more and more, so if you have any ideas please throw them out as I would love to hear them. If you have any questions for me directly go ahead and post those as well!

How would you host one of the API microservice or full-stack projects on AWS?

I’m not an AWS expert but have dabbled with it, by following some Amazon provided tutorials.

I think an ebook with clear step-by-step/screenshot procedure will be very useful.

For a web developer (as opposed to a network administrator), I think the most initial important aspects of AWS are, and with instant application/usefulness to a web developer are:

S3
Route 53
LightSail
& Billing :slight_smile:

  • Using S3 to store static content, images, PDF, scripts, etc… and being able to remote upload/delete/manage the files in your S3 from your own website – and understanding how this could affect your monthly co$t.

  • Using S3 buckets to host static websites and files via setting up your own domain name (in conjunction with Route 53). Great for sites that don’t need server-side processing.

  • Route 53 – Domains, DNS and stuff, creating new zones, records, etc.

  • LightSail - easy provisioning and setup of Apps/OS, including WP, LAMP, NodeJS, Joomla, Mean, Nginx, etc – I think this is an easy and affordable way to get on the AWS bandwagon

  • Billing – because you may find yourself suddenly owing Amazon hundreds of dollars if you don’t know/not careful with what you are doing.

Thanks for the reply! I think those are great services worth learning. My approach will be to learn services by working through practical problems (i.e. hosting a static website). This will allow those hungry to learn to learn each service by actually using it.

I like the LightSail idea, its a different direction than a static website, but still important today. At least for now :wink:

Great idea. Would you want to learn the concepts of this or are you looking to learn any specific services?

I just think that’d be the most useful way to teach AWS to Free Code Camp students. Basically, if I have written a full stack application using Node, MongoDB, and some front end client, how would I use AWS to host that? It’s never occurred to me to use AWS, so I’m curious to learn myself.

Sounds like a great practical problem to walk through. I think like most things with AWS there are multiple ways to tackle that problem using various different services or even tweaking the solution to leverage fewer/less expensive services.