How to Configure AWS CloudFront 

• AWS CloudFront is a global CDN service that stores copies of your content on edge servers around the world so your users get faster load times.
• It enhances both speed and security by providing features like DDoS protection, HTTPS encryption, and integration with AWS Shield and AWS WAF.

You simply log into AWS and go to the CloudFront service page.
Clicking Create Distribution tells AWS you’re starting a new CDN configuration.

Choose Your Origin

The origin is where your actual files or data live.

• S3 bucket: static website hosting or media files
• EC2 server: dynamic website
• API endpoint: backend service

Important settings:

Origin Protocol Policy ,  HTTPS only
Ensures CloudFront communicates securely with your origin.

Origin Path
Lets you limit CloudFront to a subfolder inside your origin

(only serve /static/ files).

After configuring, you click Add Origin.

Key settings:

Viewer Protocol Policy 

Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
Ensures every request uses HTTPS for better security.\

Allowed HTTP Methods
a. GET, HEAD – For static sites
b. GET, HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, POST – For APIs and forms

Cache Policy 

CachingOptimized
Tells CloudFront to cache content efficiently for fast delivery.

Compression
Enabling Gzip/Brotli reduces file size and speeds up loading.

Distribution Settings

1. Custom Domain

You can map something like:

cdn.website.com

to your CloudFront distribution.

2. SSL Certificate

Required for HTTPS on custom domains.

• Choose an ACM certificate for your custom domain.
• Use the default CloudFront certificate if not using a custom domain.

3. Default Root Object

For static websites:

index.html

So that users see your homepage automatically.

Create the Distribution

When you click Create Distribution:

• AWS deploys your settings across global edge locations.
• This usually takes 5–15 minutes.

Once done, CloudFront gives you a URL like:

d123exampleabcd.cloudfront.net

This is your CDN domain, and any content you access through it will now be served quickly from CloudFront’s global cache.

If you’re looking to streamline performance, optimize caching, or enhance your global content delivery setup, our team is here to help. Skynats’ certified engineers specialize in AWS CloudFront deployment, tuning, and end-to-end Cloud Support Services tailored to your business needs.