Which AWS service is primarily used for hosting static websites?

The correct answer is Amazon S3, which is specifically designed for storing and retrieving any amount of data from anywhere on the web. S3 stands for Simple Storage Service, and it is well-suited for hosting static websites because it allows users to store HTML files, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, and images without the need for server-side processing. When you host a static website using S3, you can simply upload your static files to an S3 bucket, configure the bucket for web hosting, and your content becomes accessible via the internet.

S3 offers features such as high durability, scalability, and ease of use, making it ideal for serving static content efficiently and reliably. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with other AWS services and can be combined with Amazon CloudFront for content delivery, ensuring fast loading times for users around the globe.

In contrast, options like Amazon EC2 are geared towards hosting dynamic web applications using virtual servers, requiring more management than necessary for a static site. Amazon EBS is primarily a block storage service used with EC2 instances for database or file storage, while Amazon CloudFront, a content delivery network, is used for caching and delivering content but does not host static websites directly.