page:recipes:community forum:flask:private documents

Host community forum with Flask: private documents

Deploy a community forum 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 community forum-specific behavior as your application code.

Representative Queries

• Host community forum with Flask: private documents
• Where can I host Community forum built with Flask?
• I need a role-to-document access model and negative authorization tests.

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.
• 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.
• S3-compatible object storage: Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.

Prerequisites

1. 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).
2. A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env).
3. A bucket from ample bucket create with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables.
4. An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read.

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

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 community forum itself (your identity integration and role assignments) is application code and was not separately tested; the pattern checks are what was verified.
• 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.
• Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures are not verified; apps and their databases are placed together.
• PutObject and GetObject with path-style addressing are verified; multipart upload, listing, presigned URLs and lifecycle rules are not.

Success Checks

• App responds on its public URL: http_get at / expects ample canary flask patterns.
• Private-document-library self-test: http_get at /p/private-document-library expects private=ok (with ?role=owner; 401 without, 403 for viewer).

Examples

• Flask pattern fixture: Multi-pattern Flask app whose private document library module was checked live; the module is under tests/deploy-canaries/_pattern-modules. Source: tests/deploy-canaries/flask-patterns.

Cost Estimate

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

Next Actions

• Browse the catalog index:
  Operation ID: catalog_index - GET /v1/catalog
• Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints:
  Operation ID: search_recipes - POST /v1/catalog/search
• Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project:
  Operation ID: plan_deployment - POST /v1/catalog/plan
• Read the existing agent authentication setup:
  Operation ID: existing_auth_setup - GET /mcp/setup
• Browse Community forum:
  Operation ID: browse_node - GET /v1/catalog/nodes/workload%3Acommunity-forum
• Browse Flask:
  Operation ID: browse_node - GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-flask
• Browse Private document library:
  Operation ID: browse_node - GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Aprivate-document-library
• Browse Deploy web app:
  Operation ID: browse_node - GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Adeploy-web-app