page:guides:nuxt:build and start

Configure build and start for Nuxt

Summary

Configure build and start for a Nuxt app on Ample. nuxt build produces .output; start it with node .output/server/index.mjs, which reads PORT and binds all interfaces. 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.

Overview

• Framework: Nuxt
• 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:

   • nuxt build produces .output; start it with node .output/server/index.mjs, which reads PORT and binds all interfaces.

2. Deploy:

   • Run the existing synchronous deploy once from the project directory and read the result. Exit 0 is live, 1 is failed, 2 is blocked on a required preflight action.
   • Command: ample deploy . --name --public --format json

3. Verify:

   • Fetch the live URL and run the success checks below. On failure, read the build log, then the runtime log, fix the cause, and deploy again; do not blind-retry.
   • Command: ample logs --kind build

Success Checks

• Description: Page or root route responds
  Kind: http_get
  Path: /
  Expect: ample canary nuxt 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.
• Nuxt 3 was tested; Nitro presets other than node-server 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:
  • Name: 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. Plan quotas and budgets apply.

Examples

• Title: nuxt-basic canary
  Description: Nuxt app with nuxt build and the Nitro node server.
  Source Ref: tests/deploy-canaries/nuxt-basic

Evidence Summary

• Kind: canary_run
  Summary: Nuxt app (nuxt build, node .output/server/index.mjs) deployed on node-22 and rendered the expected page.
  Observed At: 2026-09-20T00:22:15Z
  Implementation Revision: 1764076-tls-account-903d345
  Expires At: 2027-03-19T00:22:15Z
  Scope:
  • CLI Version: 0.1.20
  • Platform: hosted-beta
  • Template: node-22

Next Actions

• Action ID: browse-catalog
  Label: Browse the catalog index
  Parameters: {}
• Action ID: search-recipes
  Label: Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints
  Parameters: {"body":{"limit":5,"query":"Configure build and start for Nuxt"}}