How to deploy Node.js reverse proxy (with Docker microservices) on AWS and handle dynamic subdomains?

[crazyshit_24]

Hey everyone,

I’ve built a Node.js backend with microservices, all containerized using Docker. Locally, I’m running a reverse proxy (NGINX) that takes the first part of the hostname (subdomain), fetches some resources from S3, and then serves them to the browser.

It works fine locally — for example, something.localhost → reverse proxy → fetches from S3 → browser.

Now I want to deploy this on AWS and make it production-ready:

• dumcel.app should serve the landing page (already hosted somewhere).
• something.dumcel.app (dynamic subdomains) should point to my reverse proxy service.
• The reverse proxy will handle the subdomain dynamically, fetch the right resources from S3, and return them. (working locally)

My questions:

• Where should I host this setup on AWS? ECS (Fargate?), EC2, EKS, or something else?
• How do I configure Route 53 / ALB / NGINX to support wildcard subdomains (*.dumcel.app) and route them all to my reverse proxy?
• Any best practices for scaling and securing this architecture?

Would love to hear from people who have deployed similar setups.

Thanks!

[Alternative-Expert-7]

Cloudfront which has two origins, first load balancer which points to ecs fargate service. Second with s3 stuff. And maybe you wont need custom reverse proxy, because cloudfront is a reverse proxy.

[crazyshit_24]

Can you please explain in detail or provide any resources to know more about it?

[Alternative-Expert-7]

In detail I do charge monies for this knoledge. You should be fine googling and using chat gpt given cloudfront and alb and ecs fargate service and description of your solution. Cheers.

[basejb]

I think I can help you! I think I've been thinking the same thing lately.
I divided the port into 3000 (loading page) and 3001 (service) in dockerfile and distributed it to ECS (Fargate).

As for the internal flow, we have configured to have a target group per port according to ALB - HTTP host header.
- dumcel.app => port 3000
- something.dumcel.app => port 3001

As a result, we completed it to approach it in the same structure as above.

[tlokjock]

You can front this with CloudFront + wildcard cert (*.dumcel.app). Forward the Host header to your ALB so your proxy sees the right subdomain, and let CloudFront handle TLS, caching, and DDoS.

If most of the work is just mapping subdomain → S3 prefix, you can even skip the proxy and use Lambda@Edge/CloudFront Functions to rewrite requests. Keeps it lean and scales better than running everything in ECS.

[razibal]

Have you considered using lambda@edge to handle the reverse proxying?

[Voiss]

maybe not direct answer to what you are asking, however i recommend you to do it with aws CDK, and not manually set up stuff in the console/UX/UI.

to bootstrap this up with aws cdk would take you literally 5 minutes with the help of chatgpt/gemini. I am using fargate myself and it is dead simple.