# Host admin dashboard with Flask: private documents

Deploy a admin dashboard built with Flask on Ample using the private document library pattern. Compute runs the app in an isolated microVM behind a public HTTPS URL, a managed PostgreSQL 16 database is auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, a private S3-compatible bucket holds objects with credentials delivered as encrypted environment variables. Verified on Flask: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Not separately tested: your identity integration and role assignments; treat the admin dashboard-specific behavior as your application code.

## Prerequisites
- A Flask project that builds and starts with the documented commands (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress from app.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env)
- A bucket from `ample bucket create` with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read

## Resource Requirements
- `primitive:compute`
- `primitive:postgres`
- `primitive:s3-compatible-object-storage`

## 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. ([More Info](/discover/primitive/compute))
- **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. ([More Info](/discover/primitive/postgres))
- **S3-compatible object storage**: Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified. ([More Info](/discover/primitive/s3-compatible-object-storage))

## Workflow Steps
1. **Build and start**: `pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt`, then `waitress from app.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.`
2. **Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL**: The fixture's module implements private document library: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.
3. **Wire object storage**: Create the bucket(s), then pass endpoint, region, bucket and keys as --env values. Use path-style addressing. Keep private data in an unpublished bucket.
4. **Deploy**: Run the synchronous deploy once and read the result (exit 0 live, 1 failed, 2 blocked). Re-running with no change is a no-op.
   
   Command: `ample deploy . --name  --public --start "python3 app.py" --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...`
5. **Verify**: Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/private-document-library) from the example; then run your own checks. On failure read `ample logs  --kind build` then `--kind runtime`.
   
   Command: `ample logs  --kind build`

## Tested Configuration
- **Template**: python-3.12
- **Runtime**: python
- **Size**: s-1vcpu-1gb
- **Install**: `python3 -m pip install --target .ample/python -r requirements.txt`
- **Start**: `PYTHONPATH=.ample/python:${PYTHONPATH:-} python3 app.py`

## Limitations
- Verified on the python-3.12 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Flask major versions are not verified.
- The admin dashboard itself (your identity integration and role assignments) is application code and was not separately tested; the pattern checks are what was verified.
- Apps auto-pause when idle and wake on the next request; always-on is an operator setting, not a plan feature.

## Cost Estimate
- **Currency**: USD
- **Monthly Amount**: 10.0
- **Basis**: size prices from pricing.toml (loaded by the API) at build revision 1ac5595375130d45290090e82ed0f554ccd45405-dirty.

### Components
| Name                     | Size            | Quantity | Monthly Amount |
|--------------------------|-----------------|----------|----------------|
| app server               | s-1vcpu-1gb     | 1.0      | 5.0            |
| managed PostgreSQL database | s-1vcpu-1gb   | 1.0      | 5.0            |

*Note*: Always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps and databases auto-pause when idle. Buckets are allocation-priced per quota and not included.

## Evidence Summary
- **Canary Run**: Flask pattern fixture deployed on Ample; checks passed for private-document-library and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok).
- **Last Verified At**: 2026-09-21T01:14:18Z

## Next Actions
- [Browse the catalog index](/v1/catalog)
- [Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints](/v1/catalog/search)
- [Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project](/v1/catalog/plan)