How to Create an EC2 Instance

Go to the [AWS Management Console](https://aws.amazon.com/console/) and log in with your credentials.

In the AWS Management Console, type "EC2" in the search bar and select "EC2" from the services list.

Click the "Launch Instance" button to start the instance creation process.

Select an AMI that matches your needs. This is essentially the operating system for your instance. You can choose from a variety of AMIs, including Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows, etc.

Select the instance type based on your requirements for CPU, memory, storage, and network performance. For example, `t2.micro` is a free-tier eligible instance type suitable for small, low-traffic applications.

Configure settings such as the number of instances, network, subnet, and IAM role. You can also set up advanced details such as monitoring and shutdown behavior here.

Add or modify the storage volumes attached to your instance. By default, an Amazon EBS volume is attached to your instance, but you can add more volumes if needed.

Add tags to your instance to help you identify it later. Tags are key-value pairs like `Name: MyInstance`.

Set up a security group, which acts as a virtual firewall to control inbound and outbound traffic. You can create a new security group or select an existing one. Ensure you allow necessary ports (e.g., port 22 for SSH access, port 80 for HTTP, etc.).

Review your instance configuration. If everything looks correct, click "Launch".

Choose an existing key pair or create a new one. You'll need this key pair to connect to your instance. If creating a new key pair, download the `.pem` file and store it securely, as you’ll need it to access your instance via SSH.

Click the "Launch Instances" button. You will see a confirmation message with the instance ID. Click "View Instances" to go to the EC2 Dashboard and see your running instance.

After your instance status is "running", select your instance in the EC2 Dashboard and click the "Connect" button. Follow the instructions provided to connect to your instance via SSH or RDP, depending on the operating system.