In this article, we will deploy a Next.js website to Amazon Web Services (AWS) using the new version of Serverless Stack Toolkit (SST), which uses Ion as the new engine for deployment.

# Why use AWS to Deploy a Next.js website?

AWS offers free usage of their services to new customers that have signed up for the first 12 months.

If you deploy a Next.js website to AWS, you won't pay a single cent unless you add services that are not included in their free tier for new customers.

I have deployed two Next.js websites to AWS using SST, and I haven't paid a single cent since then.

![two Next.js website in production deployed to AWS](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fcloudfront-nextjs-deployed.PNG)

Learn more about [AWS free tier here](https://aws.amazon.com/free/?all-free-tier.sort-by=item.additionalFields.SortRank&all-free-tier.sort-order=asc&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Types=*all&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Categories=*all).

# Build a Next.js website

Now that you're convinced to deploy a Next.js website to AWS, let's now create a Next.js website from scratch.

```
npx create-next-app@latest
```

Run our new Next-js app using the command.

```
npm run dev
```

As you can see below, it is perfectly working.

![new next.js app running in development](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fnew-next-app.PNG) 

# Installing SST

To make Ion work in our project, we must install the CLI for SST globally, like this:

```
curl -fsSL https://ion.sst.dev/install | bash
```

![installing Ion globally](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Finstalled-ion-globally.PNG)

Now, initialize SST using the command below.

```
sst init
```

> Note that you must run this command in a `bash terminal`, or else you'll get an error like below if you run it in a `WSL terminal`. You can directly open a git bash terminal in VS Code.

![error initializing sst in WSL terminal](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-init-error-in-wsl.PNG)

If SST was successfully initialized, you'll see these in the console:

![successful initialization of SST](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-init-run-in-bash-terminal.PNG)

Two new files will be automatically created upon SST initialization, namely `sst-env.d.ts` and `sst.config.ts`.

The code inside `sst.config.ts` would look like this:

```ts
/// <reference path="./.sst/platform/config.d.ts" />

export default $config({
  app(input) {
    return {
      name: "my-app",
      removal: input?.stage === "production" ? "retain" : "remove",
      home: "aws",
    };
  },
  async run() {
    new sst.aws.Nextjs("MyWeb");
  },
});
```

Now, let's run our Next.js app with SST using the command:

```
sst dev next dev
```

You will see something like this in the console. 

![sst running in development environment](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-dev-next-dev.PNG)

A local development environment for our Next.js will be automatically initiated.

![Next.js in development environment](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-dev-next-dev-2.PNG)

Follow that link, in my case, `http://localhost:3000`, to see your Next.js app running successfully!

![Next.js running in development with Ion engine](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fnext-dev-with-ion.PNG)

# Deploy to AWS

Now, let's deploy our Next.js app using just the command below.

```
sst deploy
```
![sst deploy in the console](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-deploy-1.PNG)

After successful deployment, a link will be generated.

![generated link of our website](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsst-deploy-2.PNG)

Let's follow that link to see our Next.js app successfully deployed to AWS. 

![website successfully deployed to aws](https://image.solodevhub.com/solodevhub%2Fdeploy-nextjs-aws-sst%2Fsuccess-deployed-to-aws.PNG)

# Conclusion

In very quick and easy steps, we were able to deploy a Next.js website to Amazon Web Services (AWS) using the new version of SST.

You can read more information about SST and Ion on their [website](https://ion.sst.dev/).

Leave a comment below if you encounter any errors, and I will gladly provide the solution if possible. Cheers!