Domain Names:Build a website on Alibaba Cloud

Step 1: Register a domain name

A domain name is the human-readable address of your website (such as aliyun.com). It serves as the entry point for users to access your site.

Step 2: Purchase and configure an ECS instance

Purchase and configure an ECS instance to host your website.

1. Go to the ECS purchase page to purchase an instance.

   • Region: Select a region close to your target users.

   • Instance: Select an instance type based on expected traffic. For small websites, use an economy or entry-level type. For more information, see Instance type selection.

   • Security Group: A virtual firewall that controls inbound and outbound traffic for the instance. Follow the principle of least privilege and open only the ports your services require. For more information, see Security groups.

Step 3: Build a website

Deploy your website's applications, code, and static files on the ECS instance. After deployment, test access using the instance's IP address. The deployment method depends on your technology stack (LAMP, LNMP, Node.js, or Java). For more information, see Build a website.

Step 4: Configure domain name resolution

Domain name resolution maps your domain (such as aliyun.com) to your server's IP address (such as 192.0.2.1), enabling browser access by domain name.

• Guide: Add DNS records for a website.

• Propagation time: New records take effect in real time. Modifications or deletions propagate based on the TTL setting, typically 2 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Configure an SSL certificate

An SSL certificate enables HTTPS, encrypting traffic between browsers and your server. HTTPS protects data in transit, verifies your site's identity, and improves search engine rankings.

• Request an SSL certificate for your domain and deploy it on your ECS instance.

• Guide: Enable HTTPS with a commercial SSL certificate