page:recipes:documentation site:next js:relational content
Host documentation site with Next.js: Postgres-backed content
Deploy a documentation site built with Next.js on Ample using the relational records 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, and a published bucket serves public assets from the CDN host. Verified on Next.js: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true). Not separately tested: your record schema, states and access rules; treat the documentation site-specific behavior as your application code.
Prerequisites
- A Next.js project that builds and starts with the documented commands (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env)
- A bucket from
ample bucket createwith its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables - An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read
Workflow Steps
- Build and start: next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
- Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL: The fixture's module implements relational records: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.
- 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 Keep private data in an unpublished bucket. Publish only the bucket that serves public assets and reference its CDN URL.
- 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 --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=... --env CDN_PUBLIC_URL=...
- Verify: Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/relational-records) from the example; then run your own checks. On failure read
ample logs --kind buildthen--kind runtime. Command: ample logs --kind build
Success Checks
App responds on its public URL
- Kind: http_get
- Path: /
- Expect: ample canary next js patterns
Relational records self-test
- Kind: http_get
- Path: /p/relational-records
- Expect: records=ok transitions=true isolation=true
Limitations
- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Next.js major versions are not verified.
- The documentation site itself (your record schema, states and access rules) is application code and was not separately tested; the pattern checks are what was verified.
Cost Estimate
- Currency: USD
- Monthly Amount: 10.0
- Basis: size prices from pricing.toml (loaded by the API) at build revision 1ac5595375130d45290090e82ed0f554ccd45405-dirty
- Components:
- App server: 1.0 s-1vcpu-1gb at $5.0
- Managed PostgreSQL database: 1.0 s-1vcpu-1gb at $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.