# Host help desk with Next.js: relational workspace data

Deploy a help desk 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. 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 help desk-specific behavior as your application code.

## Representative Queries
- Host help desk with Next.js: relational workspace data
- Where can I host Help desk built with Next.js?
- I need a workspace-specific schema, state transitions and access rules.

## Parent Resources
- **Help desk**: [Help desk](/content/discover/workload/help-desk/index.html)
- **Next.js**: [Next.js](/content/discover/stack/framework-next-js/index.html)
- **Relational records**: [Relational records](/content/discover/pattern/relational-records/index.html)
- **Deploy web app**: [Deploy web app](/content/discover/intent/deploy-web-app/index.html)

## Resource Requirements
- Compute
- Postgres

## 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.

## 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

## 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 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. **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. `ample deploy . --name  --public`
4. **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`. `ample logs  --kind build`

## 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 help desk itself (your record schema, states and access rules) 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.

## 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**: s-1vcpu-1gb, quantity: 1.0, monthly amount: 5.0
  - **Managed PostgreSQL database**: s-1vcpu-1gb, quantity: 1.0, monthly amount: 5.0

## Next Actions
- **Browse the catalog index**: [Catalog index](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog)
- **Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints**: Search for help desk recipes.
- **Prepare a deployment plan for an authorized project**: Prepare plan with given parameters.
- **Read the existing authentication setup**: [Authentication](https://api.ample.computer/mcp/setup) 
- **Browse Help desk**: [Browse Help desk](https://api.ample.com/computer/v1/catalog/nodes/workload%3Ahelp-desk) 
- **Browse Next.js**: [Browse Next.js](https://api.ample.com/computer/v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-next-js) 
- **Browse Relational records**: [Browse Relational records](https://api.ample.com/computer/v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Arelational-records) 
- **Browse Deploy web app**: [Browse Deploy web app](https://api.ample.com/computer/v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Adeploy-web-app)

## Evidence Summary
- **Canary Run**: Next.js pattern fixture deployed on Ample; checks passed for relational-records and configuration-secrets.

## Formats
- [HTML Format](/content/recipes/help-desk/next-js/relational-workspace/index.html)  
- [Markdown Format](/content/recipes/help-desk/next-js/relational-workspace.md)  
- [JSON Format](https://api.ample.com/computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Arecipes%3Ahelp-desk%3Anext-js%3Arelational-workspace)

## Last Verified At
- 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z