Migrate Vercel app: Next.js

Move a Next.js app's compute from Vercel to Ample. Server-rendered apps run with next build and next start; static exports are published as static sites; environment variables move with --env; a PostgreSQL database can be supplied by URL or auto-provisioned. Cutover is a DNS change with ample domain, and Vercel stays untouched until you confirm.

Representative Queries

• Migrate Vercel app: Next.js
• Where can I host Next.js built with Next.js?
• I need a component-scoped export/import or reconfiguration procedure for Next.js, with compatibility checks, verification and rollback.

Resource Requirements

• primitive:compute
• primitive:postgres

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.

Prerequisites

1. The Next.js source and its environment variable names and values.
2. next start bound to 0.0.0.0 on PORT (Vercel does not require this; Ample does).
3. A component inventory: edge middleware, ISR, image optimization, cron and Vercel-specific integrations are not migrated by this recipe.
4. An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read and domains:write for cutover.

Workflow Steps

1. Inventory: List what the app uses on Vercel. Compute and environment variables are in scope; edge middleware, ISR revalidation, image optimization, cron jobs and Vercel integrations are out of scope and must be reviewed.
2. Deploy to Ample in parallel: Deploy the same source with its environment variables; Vercel keeps serving production.

   ample deploy . --name <name> --public --env KEY=value
   

3. Validate on the Ample URL: Run the app's smoke tests and the success checks; compare responses with production.
4. Cut over DNS: Add the custom domain and set the documented DNS records; TLS is issued automatically. Keep Vercel until traffic is verified.

   ample domain add <domain> --app <app>
   

5. Rollback: Point DNS back to Vercel. Nothing on Vercel was changed by this recipe.

Examples

• Static export canary: Vercel-style static export served with correct 404 handling.
  • Source Reference: tests/deploy-canaries/next-static-export
• SSR canary: next build and next start.
  • Source Reference: tests/deploy-canaries/next-basic-ssr
• Next.js + pg canary: Database connection from a route handler with an auto-provisioned managed database.
  • Source Reference: tests/deploy-canaries/next-postgres-basic

Success Checks

• Page renders on the Ample URL
  • Kind: http_get
  • Path: /
  • Expect: ample canary next basic ssr
• Database route reports a live connection
  • Kind: http_get
  • Path: /api/db
  • Expect: postgres=ok

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.
• Documentation only: the catalog does not execute the migration; each stage is a normal authenticated deploy or domain command.

Cost Estimate

• Monthly Amount: 10.00 USD
• Detail 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 USD
  • Name: Managed PostgreSQL database, Size: s-1vcpu-1gb, Quantity: 1.0, Monthly Amount: 5.0 USD

Evidence Summary

• Static export: Next.js static export (Vercel-style output) was published and served, including a nested route and a correct 404.
  • Observed At: 2026-09-19T23:55:33Z
• SSR app: Next.js 15 SSR app (next build, next start) deployed on node-22; the page and an API route served correctly.
  • Observed At: 2026-09-19T23:55:33Z
• Database connection: Next.js 15 route handler using pg with no DATABASE_URL supplied: Ample auto-provisioned a managed PostgreSQL database and /api/db reported postgres=ok.
  • Observed At: 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z

Next Actions

• Browse the catalog index.
• Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints.
• Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project.
• Read the existing agent authentication setup.
• Browse Vercel app.
• Browse Next.js.
• Browse Migrate compute.