# Use your domain for a static website in an Amazon S3 bucket
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This tutorial shows you how to use Amazon Route 53 to route DNS traffic for your domain to an Amazon Simple Storage Service bucket that hosts a static website. You'll create alias records that point your domain to the S3 website endpoint.

This tutorial is part of a complete static website setup workflow. For general information about routing traffic to any S3 bucket, see [Routing traffic to a website that is hosted in an Amazon S3 bucket](RoutingToS3Bucket.md).

When you're finished, visitors can access your static website using your custom domain name.

**Note**  
You can also transfer an existing domain to Route 53, but the process is more complex and time-consuming than registering a new domain. For more information, see [Transferring registration for a domain to Amazon Route 53](domain-transfer-to-route-53.md). 

## Prerequisites
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Before you begin, complete these steps:
+ Complete the steps in [Set up Amazon Route 53](setting-up-route-53.md).
+ Register a domain name using Amazon Route 53. For more information, see [Registering a new domain](domain-register.md).
+ Configure an Amazon Simple Storage Service bucket for static website hosting. For complete instructions, see [Tutorial: Configuring a static website using a custom domain registered with Route 53](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/website-hosting-custom-domain-walkthrough.html) in the *Amazon Simple Storage Service User Guide*.

When you complete the Amazon Simple Storage Service tutorial, you'll have:
+ Amazon S3 buckets configured for website hosting and redirect (if using www subdomain)
+ Website content uploaded to your bucket
+ Public access configured for your website bucket

## Step 1: Route DNS traffic for your domain to your website bucket
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Now that you have an Amazon Simple Storage Service bucket configured for static website hosting, use Amazon Route 53 to route DNS traffic for your domain to the bucket. This enables visitors to access your website using your custom domain name.<a name="getting-started-create-alias-procedure"></a>

**To route traffic to your website**

1. Open the Route 53 console at [https://console.amazonaws.cn/route53/](https://console.amazonaws.cn/route53/).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Hosted zones**.
**Note**  
When you registered your domain, Amazon Route 53 automatically created a hosted zone with the same name. A hosted zone contains information about how you want Route 53 to route traffic for the domain.

1. In the list of hosted zones, choose the name of your domain. 

1. Choose **Create record**.

1. Specify the following values:  
**Record name**  
Leave blank to create a record for your root domain.  
**Record type**  
Choose **A ‐ Routes traffic to an IPv4 address and some Amazon resources**.  
**Alias**  
Turn on **Alias**.  
**Route traffic to**  
Choose **Alias to S3 website endpoint**.  
Choose the Region where you created your S3 bucket.  
Choose your S3 bucket. The bucket name should match the name of your domain. In the list, the bucket name appears with the Amazon S3 website endpoint for the Region where the bucket was created, for example, `s3-website-us-west-1.amazonaws.com (example.com)`.  
If your bucket does not appear in the list, enter the Amazon S3 website endpoint for the Region where the bucket was created, for example, **s3-website-us-west-2.amazonaws.com**. For a complete list of Amazon S3 website endpoints, see [Amazon S3 Website endpoints](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/general/latest/gr/s3.html#s3_website_region_endpoints).  
**Evaluate target health**  
Accept the default value of **No**.

1. Choose **Create records**.

**(Optional) To add an alias record for your subdomain (`www.example.com`)**

If you created a bucket for your subdomain, add an alias record for it also.

1. Choose **Create record**.

1. Specify the following values:  
**Record name**  
Enter **www**.  
**Record type**  
Choose **A ‐ Routes traffic to an IPv4 address and some Amazon resources**.  
**Alias**  
Turn on **Alias**.  
**Route traffic to**  
Choose **Alias to S3 website endpoint**.  
Choose the Region where you created your S3 bucket.  
Choose your S3 bucket for the subdomain, for example, `s3-website-us-west-2.amazonaws.com (www.example.com)`.  
**Evaluate target health**  
Accept the default value of **No**.

1. Choose **Create records**.

## Step 2: Test your website
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To verify that the website is working correctly, open a web browser and browse to the following URLs:
+ http://*your-domain-name*, for example, `example.com` – Displays the index document in the *your-domain-name* bucket
+ http://www.*your-domain-name* for example, `www.example.com` – Redirects your request to the *your-domain-name* bucket

In some cases, you might need to clear the cache to see the expected behavior.

For more advanced information about routing your internet traffic, see [Configuring Amazon Route 53 as your DNS service](dns-configuring.md). For information about routing your internet traffic to Amazon resources, see [Routing internet traffic to your Amazon resources](routing-to-aws-resources.md).

**Note**  
Amazon S3 does not support HTTPS access to the website. If you want to use HTTPS, you can use Amazon CloudFront to serve a static website hosted on Amazon S3. For more information, see [Use an Amazon CloudFront distribution to serve a static website](getting-started-cloudfront-overview.md).