page:recipes:documentation site:rails:relational content

Host documentation site with Rails: Postgres-backed content

Summary

Deploy a documentation site built with Rails 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 Rails: 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.

Representative Queries

• Host documentation site with Rails: Postgres-backed content
• Where can I host Documentation site built with Rails?
• I need a content schema, publishing workflow and cache behavior after content updates.

Prerequisites

• A Rails project that builds and starts with the documented commands (bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via rails server reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production)
• 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

Workflow Steps

1. Build and start
   bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via rails server reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
2. 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.
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 Keep private data in an unpublished bucket. Publish only the bucket that serves public assets and reference its CDN URL.
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 --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=... --env CDN_PUBLIC_URL=...
5. 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 build then --kind runtime.
   Command: ample logs --kind build

Success Checks

• App responds on its public URL
  • Kind: http_get
  • Path: /
  • Expect: ample canary rails patterns
• Relational-records self-test
  • Kind: http_get
  • Path: /p/relational-records
  • Expect: records=ok transitions=true isolation=true

Limitations

• Verified on the ruby-3.4 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Rails 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: $10.00 (authoritative)
• Basis: size prices from pricing.toml (loaded by the API)
• Components:
  • App server
    • Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
    • Quantity: 1.0
    • Monthly Amount: $5.00
  • Managed PostgreSQL database
    • Size: s-1vcpu-1gb
    • Quantity: 1.0
    • Monthly Amount: $5.00
  • 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.