Your first AWS lab
Aim for one small, explainable result: a page you can load, a function you can invoke, or an architecture you understand. You don’t need to build an entire application on day one.
Pick one starting point
Section titled “Pick one starting point”| Your goal | Start here | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Understand the cloud | AWS Getting Started | A beginner tutorial with a clear outcome |
| Build a small web app | AWS tutorials | A web application tutorial and its prerequisites |
| Explore a service hands-on | AWS Workshops | A lab matching your experience level |
| Read a working example | AWS Samples | A maintained example with deployment and cleanup instructions |
Read the full tutorial before provisioning resources. Note the region, required permissions, expected time, estimated cost, and cleanup steps. If those aren’t clear, choose a different lab or ask for help.
Before you provision anything
Section titled “Before you provision anything”- Use an account intended for learning, with permission from its owner. Avoid experimenting in a production account.
- Follow AWS’s getting-started guidance for account access. Protect credentials and enable multi-factor authentication where applicable.
- Look up the services’ current prices. A “free” tutorial or free learning content does not guarantee free AWS usage.
- Set an AWS Budgets alert at an amount you are comfortable with. Budget notifications can be delayed and do not, by themselves, cap spending.
- Write down the resources you will create and how you will delete them. Follow the tutorial’s own cleanup procedure.
During the lab
Section titled “During the lab”- Follow the tutorial’s current instructions rather than guessing missing steps.
- Keep a short note of the service, region, and resources you create.
- Test the stated outcome. Can you explain what happened when you clicked the button or invoked the function?
- If you get stuck, capture the error and the step you were on. Remove account IDs, tokens, personal data, and other private information before sharing.
Finish with cleanup
Section titled “Finish with cleanup”Complete the tutorial’s deletion steps even if you didn’t finish the lab. Stopping a resource is not always the same as deleting it, and related storage or other resources may continue to incur charges.
Review the resources in each region you used and check billing again after usage has had time to appear. Save your code or notes before deleting anything you want to keep.
Bring one lesson to the next meetup
Section titled “Bring one lesson to the next meetup”Try a simple three-part story:
- I tried: the project and service you chose.
- I learned: a useful idea or a surprising behavior.
- I’m wondering: one question you’d like help with.
That’s enough for a conversation — and it might be enough for a short demo. Share your idea with the group.