page:guides:astro:build and start

Configure build and start for Astro

Summary

Configure build and start for a Astro app on Ample. A server-output Astro app runs its start script; a static build is published as a static site. Ample detects the runtime, installs dependencies, runs the build when present and starts the app on the node-22 template behind a public HTTPS URL.

Resource Requirements

• primitive:compute

Infrastructure Requirements

• Compute: Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.

Framework

Astro

Workload

Configure build and start

Release Status

Published

Support Status

Verified

Execution Status

Ready

Prerequisites

• A package.json with build and start scripts
• A server that listens on process.env.PORT and 0.0.0.0
• An Ample account token with servers:write

Tested Configuration

• Template: node-22
• Runtime: node
• Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
• Install: npm install
• Build: npm run build --if-present
• Start: npm run start

Workflow Steps

1. Make the start command bind correctly: A server-output Astro app runs its start script; a static build is published as a static site.
2. Deploy: Run the existing synchronous deploy once from the project directory and read the result.
   • Command: ample deploy . --name --public --format json
3. Verify: Fetch the live URL and run the success checks. On failure, read the build log, fix the cause, and deploy again.
   • Command: ample logs --kind build

Success Checks

• Page or root route responds: ample canary astro basic

Limitations

• Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other templates and sizes are not verified by this recipe.
• Region, compliance attestations and request-duration limits are unknown and not claimed.
• Apps auto-pause when idle and wake on the next request; always-on is an operator setting, not a plan feature.
• Astro SSR adapters other than the tested node output are not verified.

Cost Estimate

• Currency: USD
• Monthly Amount: 5.0
• Basis: size prices from pricing.toml (loaded by the API) at build revision 1ac5595375130d45290090e82ed0f554ccd45405-dirty
• Components:
  • App Server: Size: s-1vcpu-1gb, Quantity: 1.0, Monthly Amount: 5.0
• Note: Apps and managed databases auto-pause when idle; the estimate is the always-on monthly price of the tested sizes.

Evidence Summary

• Summary: Astro app built and started on node-22 and rendered the expected page.
  • Observed At: 2026-09-20T00:22:15Z
  • Scope: CLI Version: 0.1.20, Platform: hosted-beta, Template: node-22
• Summary: Astro static build output published as a static site.
  • Observed At: 2026-09-20T00:22:15Z
  • Scope: CLI Version: 0.1.20, Platform: hosted-beta, Template: node-22

Unknowns

• Region availability is unknown until a verified region fact is recorded.
• Compliance attestations are unknown; none are claimed.

Formats

• HTML
• Markdown
• JSON