Follow these steps to deploy a serverless, scalable WordPress website using AWS services like S3, Lambda, API Gateway, RDS, and CloudFront.

1. Set Up an AWS Account

If you don’t already have an AWS account, you’ll need to create one at aws.amazon.com.

2. Create an S3 Bucket for Static Content

Go to the S3 console and create a new bucket for storing static files such as images, themes, and plugins.

3. Use Amazon RDS for the Database

1. Go to the RDS console.
2. Create a new RDS instance with MySQL or Aurora.
3. Ensure the database is set to be publicly accessible, but secure it with a strong password and configure security groups properly.

4. Set Up AWS Lambda for PHP Execution

1. Create a Lambda function using the Bref runtime.
2. Configure your Lambda function to access the RDS database.

For more details on using Bref, visit Bref.

5. Create an API Gateway

1. Use Amazon API Gateway to route HTTP requests to your Lambda function.
2. Set up an API Gateway that triggers the Lambda function.

6. Configure Amazon CloudFront

Set up CloudFront to cache your static content from the S3 bucket and distribute requests to the API Gateway.

7. Deploy WordPress Files

Upload WordPress core files to the S3 bucket and set up a build process to deploy changes to the S3 bucket.

8. Set Up Secrets Manager

Use AWS Secrets Manager to securely store your database credentials and configure your Lambda function to retrieve these credentials.

9. Set Up Monitoring and Logging

Use Amazon CloudWatch for monitoring Lambda functions and logging errors. Configure alarms and logs to notify you of any issues.

Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions

Create an S3 Bucket for Static Content

Go to the S3 console and create a bucket. Set permissions to allow public access for static content.

Create RDS Database

In the RDS console, create a new database. Choose MySQL or Aurora. Set up security groups to allow access from your Lambda function.

Set Up Lambda with Bref

composer require bref/bref

Create a Lambda function and use the Bref runtime. Configure the Lambda function to connect to your RDS instance.

Set Up API Gateway

In the API Gateway console, create a new API. Configure the API to route requests to your Lambda function. Set up methods (GET, POST, etc.) as required by WordPress.

Deploy WordPress

Download WordPress and upload the files to your S3 bucket. Ensure the S3 bucket permissions allow Lambda to access the files.

Configure CloudFront

Create a CloudFront distribution. Set the origin to your S3 bucket for static content. Configure CloudFront to forward dynamic requests to the API Gateway.

Set Up Secrets Manager

Store your database credentials in AWS Secrets Manager. Update your Lambda function code to retrieve credentials from Secrets Manager.

Monitor and Log with CloudWatch

Set up CloudWatch logs for your Lambda function. Create alarms to monitor Lambda performance and errors.

By following these steps, you can set up a scalable, serverless WordPress website on AWS. This approach leverages AWS services to handle scalability and maintenance, allowing you to focus on your website content and functionality.