Host form collection with Next.js: relational workflow state

Deploy a form collection built with Next.js on Ample using the transactional workflows 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. Verified on Next.js: an optimistic version check and an event row written in the same transaction, a stale update rejected, and a history query over the application-owned events (history=2 conflict=rejected). Not separately tested: your domain records, validation rules and concurrency policy; treat the form collection-specific behavior as your application code.

Representative Queries

• Host form collection with Next.js: relational workflow state
• Where can I host Form collection built with Next.js?
• I need a domain record schema, validation rules and concurrency behavior.

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)
• An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

Infrastructure Requirements

1. Compute

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

2. Postgres

   • 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.
   • Status: verified

Workflow Steps

1. Build and start

   • Body: 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

   • Body: The fixture's module implements transactional workflows: an optimistic version check and an event row written in the same transaction, a stale update rejected, and a history query over the application-owned events (history=2 conflict=rejected). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.

3. Deploy

   • Body: 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

4. Verify

   • Body: Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/transactional-workflows) 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: Multi-pattern Next.js app whose transactional workflows module was checked live; the module is under tests/deploy-canaries/_pattern-modules.

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 domain records, validation rules and concurrency policy) 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

Monthly Amount: $10.00

• App server: s-1vcpu-1gb - $5.00
• Managed PostgreSQL database: s-1vcpu-1gb - $5.00

Next Actions

• Browse the catalog index: Browse the catalog index
  Operation ID: catalog_index
  Method: GET
  Relative Path: /v1/catalog
• Search published recipes: Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints
  Operation ID: search_recipes
  Method: POST
  Relative Path: /v1/catalog/search
• Prepare a deployment plan: Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project
  Operation ID: plan_deployment
  Method: POST
  Relative Path: /v1/catalog/plan
• Read the existing agent authentication setup: Read the existing agent authentication setup
  Operation ID: existing_auth_setup
  Method: GET
  Relative Path: /mcp/setup