page:guides:nestjs:database connection

Connect Postgres for NestJS

Summary

Database connection for a NestJS app on Ample. Verified on NestJS: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). Build and start: npm install, nest build (TypeScript) then node dist/main.js on the node-22 template.

Resources

Framework: NestJS
Workload: Connect Postgres
Release Status: Published
Support Status: Verified
Execution Status: Ready
Docs Only: false

Prerequisites

A NestJS project (npm install, nest build (TypeScript) then node dist/main.js on the node-22 template)
A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime
An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

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.
Postgres: Managed PostgreSQL 16 runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.

Workflow Steps

Build and start
npm install, nest build (TypeScript) then node dist/main.js on the node-22 template; the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
Read DATABASE_URL at runtime
Open connections from the environment inside handlers or a pool; omit DATABASE_URL to auto-provision a managed database or pass --env DATABASE_URL=... for an existing one.
Verify
Fetch the live URL and /p/relational-records on the example; on failure read the build and runtime logs. Command: ample logs --kind build

Examples

NestJS pattern fixture
Verified database connection on NestJS. Source reference: tests/deploy-canaries/nestjs-patterns

Success Checks

App responds on its public URL
Expect: ample canary nestjs patterns at path /.
Relational records check from the example
Expect: see the pattern fixture checks at path /p/relational-records.

Limitations

Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other sizes and NestJS major versions are not verified.
Region, compliance attestations and request-duration limits are unknown and not claimed.
Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures are not verified.

Cost Estimate

Currency: USD
Monthly Amount: 10.0
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
- Managed PostgreSQL database: size: s-1vcpu-1gb, quantity: 1.0, monthly amount: 5.0
Note: Always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle.

Evidence Summary

Kind: canary_run
Summary: NestJS pattern fixture deployed on Ample. Observed at: 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z.