Install Apps on AWS EC2: A Step-by-Step Guide

To set up and run a Python HTTP server on your private EC2 instance after logging in, follow these detailed steps:

Step 1: Verify Python is Installed

Check Python Version:
- Run the following command to check if Python3 is installed:
```
  python3 --version
```
- If Python3 is not installed, you’ll see an error or no output. Proceed to the next step to install it.

Step 2: Install Python3 (If Not Installed)

For Amazon Linux 2 or Amazon Linux AMI:

Update the System Packages:
```
 sudo yum update -y
```
Install Python3:
```
 sudo yum install python3 -y
```

For Ubuntu:

Update the System Packages:
```
 sudo apt update
```
Install Python3:
```
 sudo apt install python3 -y
```

For RHEL/CentOS:

Enable EPEL Repository:
```
 sudo yum install epel-release -y
```
Install Python3:
```
 sudo yum install python3 -y
```
Verify Installation:
- After installation, verify the version again:
```
  python3 --version
```

Step 3: Start the Python HTTP Server

Navigate to the Desired Directory:
- Use the cd command to go to the directory where you want to serve files:
```
  cd /path/to/directory
```
- For example, if you want to serve files from /var/www/html:
```
  cd /var/www/html
```
- For testing , you can create simple html file in ubuntu server itself by following below steps:
  
  1. Connect to Your EC2 Instance
  - Use SSH to connect to your EC2 instance:
```
  ssh -i /path/to/aws_login.pem ubuntu@<your-ec2-public-ip>
```

2. Create and Edit the index.html File Using vi

Once logged in, use the following command to create and open the index.html file for editing:
```
  sudo vi /var/www/html/index.html
```
- The sudo is needed to write to /var/www/html if you're using a web server like Apache or Nginx, which usually has restricted write permissions for regular users.

3. Enter Insert Mode and Add HTML Content

In vi, you need to enter insert mode to start editing:
- Press i to enter insert mode.

Now, add your HTML content. Example:

  <!DOCTYPE html>
  <html lang="en">
  <head>
      <meta charset="UTF-8">
      <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
      <title>Welcome to My Server</title>
  </head>
  <body>
      <h1>Welcome to my EC2 instance!</h1>
      <p>This is a test index.html file created directly on the server.</p>
  </body>
  </html>

4. Save and Exit vi

To save and exit:
- Press Esc to exit insert mode.
- Type :wq (write and quit) and press Enter.

This will save the changes to index.html and exit vi.

Start the HTTP Server:
- Run the Python HTTP server on port 8000:
```
  python3 -m http.server 8000
```
Keep the Server Running:
- By default, this command runs the server interactively. To keep it running in the background, use nohup:
```
  nohup python3 -m http.server 8000
```
- This prevents the server from stopping if you close the SSH session.

Step 4: Access the Server

Private IP:
- If you are testing the server internally from another machine in the same VPC, access it using the private IP of the instance:
```
  http://<private-ip>:8000
```
Public Access (Optional):
- If you need external access, ensure:
  - The EC2 instance’s security group allows inbound traffic on port 8000.
  - The Bastion host or a public-facing load balancer is configured to forward traffic to this private instance.

Step 5: Stop the HTTP Server

Find the Process:
- Identify the process running the server:
```
  ps aux | grep http.server
```
Kill the Process:
- Use the kill command with the process ID (PID):
```
  kill <PID>
```
- Example:
```
  kill 12345
```

Security Considerations

Restrict Access:
- Limit access to the server by updating the instance’s security group to allow inbound traffic on port 8000 only from trusted IPs.
Avoid Serving Sensitive Files:
- Ensure the directory being served does not contain sensitive files or credentials.
Use a Firewall or Reverse Proxy:
- For public access, consider setting up a reverse proxy (e.g., Nginx) or a firewall to protect the server.
SSL/TLS:
- For production use, do not use the built-in Python server. Use a robust web server (e.g., Apache, Nginx) with SSL/TLS encryption.

Example Commands for Quick Setup

Install Python3 (Amazon Linux 2):

 sudo yum update -y
 sudo yum install python3 -y

Start the HTTP server:

 cd /var/www/html
 python3 -m http.server 8000

Test the server from a browser or curl:

curl http://<private-ip>:8000

"Thank you for reading! I hope this blog sparked new ideas and insights. If you have questions or thoughts, drop a comment below. Until next time, keep learning and growing!"
Reach out to me at www.linkedin.com/in/sruthipalle
Happy Coding😊

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Apps on AWS Private EC2 Instances

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