# Host form collection with Next.js: data exports

Deploy a form collection built with Next.js on Ample using the generated downloads 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 Next.js: an export query rendered to a CSV artifact stored with metadata in a private bucket and returned only to an authorized caller (401 without token, export=ok rows=3). Not separately tested: your export formats, retention policy and entitlement model; treat the form collection-specific behavior as your application code.

## Representative Queries
- Host form collection with Next.js: data exports
- Where can I host Form collection built with Next.js?
- I need a scoped export format, artifact generation and authorized download procedure.

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

## Infrastructure Requirements
### Compute
- **Status:** verified  
- **Summary:** Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.

### Postgres
- **Status:** verified  
- **Summary:** 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
- **Status:** verified  
- **Summary:** Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.

## 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 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
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.

### 2. Implement the Pattern on PostgreSQL
The fixture's module implements generated downloads: an export query rendered to a CSV artifact stored with metadata in a private bucket and returned only to an authorized caller (401 without token, export=ok rows=3). 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 --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/generated-downloads) from the example; then run your own checks. On failure read `ample logs  --kind build` then `--kind runtime`.

Command:  
`ample logs  --kind build`

## Examples
### Next.js Pattern Fixture
**Description:** Multi-pattern Next.js app whose generated downloads module was checked live; the module is under tests/deploy-canaries/_pattern-modules.

## Success Checks
- **App responds on its public URL:**  
  - Kind: http_get  
  - Path: /  
  - Expect: ample canary next js patterns
- **Generated-downloads self-test:**  
  - Kind: http_get  
  - Path: /p/generated-downloads  
  - Expect: export=ok rows=3 (with ?token=...; 401 without)

## 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 form collection itself (your export formats, retention policy and entitlement model) 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 verified.

## Cost Estimate
- **Currency:** USD  
- **Monthly Amount:** 10.0  
- **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
1. **Kind:** canary_run  
   - **Summary:** Next.js pattern fixture deployed on Ample (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template); checks passed for generated-downloads and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: an export query rendered to a CSV artifact stored with metadata in a private bucket and returned only to an authorized caller (401 without token, export=ok rows=3).  
   - **Observed At:** 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z

2. **Kind:** canary_run  
   - **Summary:** The same Next.js app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation.
   - **Observed At:** 2026-09-20T01:54:51Z

## Next Actions
1. **Label:** Browse the catalog index  
   - **Operation ID:** catalog_index  
   - **Method:** GET  
   - **Relative Path:** /v1/catalog
2. **Label:** Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints  
   - **Operation ID:** search_recipes  
   - **Method:** POST  
   - **Relative Path:** /v1/catalog/search
3. **Label:** Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project  
   - **Operation ID:** plan_deployment  
   - **Method:** POST  
   - **Relative Path:** /v1/catalog/plan