# Migrate Netlify web app: Express

Move Express compute from Netlify web app to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered.

## Source Procedure
Copy environment variables from Site configuration (or `netlify env:list`) into an env file kept out of the repository. Not migrated automatically: Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, Forms, Identity and `_redirects`/`_headers` rules are not migrated; implement redirects in the app or the framework.

## Cutover
Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, set the documented DNS records, keep the Netlify site until verified, then remove the domain from Netlify.

## Rollback
Keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

## Prerequisites
- Authorized access to the Netlify web app source and its export tooling
- An inventory of every component in scope and out of scope
- A validated backup or copy before any cutover
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

## Workflow Steps
1. **Inventory the source**  
   List what Netlify web app provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, Forms, Identity and `_redirects`/`_headers` rules are not migrated; implement redirects in the app or the framework.

2. **Source step 1**  
   Copy environment variables from Site configuration (or `netlify env:list`) into an env file kept out of the repository.

3. **Source step 2**  
   Translate `netlify.toml` build settings (command, publish directory) into the repository's own build script; Ample runs the detected build.

4. **Source step 3**  
   List Netlify-only features in use: functions, edge functions, forms, identity, redirects and headers rules.

5. **Deploy on Ample in parallel**  
   `npm install, npm run build --if-present, npm run start` on the node-22 template. Pass the exported variables with --env; keep the source running.
   `ample deploy . --name  --public --env-file .env.production`

6. **Validate before cutover**  
   Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums; the example checks are the pattern self-tests (/p/configuration-secrets, /p/relational-records).

7. **Cut over**  
   Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, set the documented DNS records, keep the Netlify site until verified, then remove the domain from Netlify.

8. **Rollback**  
   Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation.

## Success Checks
- **Destination app responds on its public URL**  
   *HTTP GET* to `/` expects *ample canary express patterns*.  
- **Configuration-secrets check from the destination example**  
   *HTTP GET* to `/p/configuration-secrets` expects *see the pattern fixture checks*.  
- **Relational-records check from the destination example**  
   *HTTP GET* to `/p/relational-records` expects *see the pattern fixture checks*.  
- **Data or object counts and checksums match the source**  
   Expect *operator comparison before cutover*.

## Limitations
- Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
- The source-side procedure is documented from Netlify web app's standard tooling and was not executed in this catalog's evidence; the destination side was verified with the pattern fixture.
- No full source-product parity is claimed: Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, Forms, Identity and `_redirects`/`_headers` rules are not migrated; implement redirects in the app or the framework.
- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; region, compliance and request-duration limits are unknown.
- Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures on the managed side are not verified beyond the pattern checks.

## Cost Estimate
**Currency**: USD  
**Monthly Amount**: 10.0  
**Note**: Destination always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle. Source costs are unknown to Ample.

### Components
- **App Server**: 1 x s-1vcpu-1gb for $5.00/month
- **Managed PostgreSQL Database**: 1 x s-1vcpu-1gb for $5.00/month

## Evidence Summary
- **Summary**: Destination side verified: the Express pattern fixture deployed on Ample and its checks passed (the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered).
- **Observed At**: 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z 
- **Implementation Revision**: 1d28ae0-dirty (CLI 0.1.21) 
- **Expires At**: 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z

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

## Formats
- **HTML**: [View HTML](/content/migrate/netlify-web-app/express/index.html)  
- **Markdown**: [View Markdown](/content/migrate/netlify-web-app/express.md)  
- **JSON**: [View JSON](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Amigrate%3Anetlify-web-app%3Aexpress)

## Next Actions
- [Browse the catalog index](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog)  
- [Search published recipes](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/search)  
- [Prepare a deployment plan](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/plan)  
- [Read existing agent authentication setup](https://api.ample.computer/mcp/setup)  
- [Browse Netlify web app](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Anetlify-web-app)  
- [Browse Express](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-express)  
- [Browse Migrate compute](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Amigrate-compute)