## The short version

Database connection for a ASP.NET Core app on Ample.

### WHAT WAS VERIFIED

Verified on ASP.NET Core: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). Build and start: `dotnet publish -c Release -o out` in the builder, then `dotnet <entry>.dll` on the dotnet-10 template with ASPNETCORE_URLS bound to PORT.

## INFRASTRUCTURE

### What it needs

- [Compute](/content/discover/primitive/compute/index.html): verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs; sizes are the priced VM sizes.)
- [Postgres](/content/discover/primitive/postgres/index.html): verified (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

### Before you start

- An ASP.NET Core project (dotnet publish -c Release -o out in the builder, then dotnet <entry>.dll on the dotnet-10 template with ASPNETCORE_URLS bound to PORT)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

## STEP BY STEP

### How to do it

1. 1

### Build and start

`dotnet publish -c Release -o out` in the builder, then `dotnet <entry>.dll` on the dotnet-10 template with ASPNETCORE_URLS bound to PORT; the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.

2. 2

### Read DATABASE_URL at runtime

Open connections from the environment inside handlers or a pool; omit DATABASE_URL to auto-provision a managed database or pass `--env DATABASE_URL=...` for an existing one.

3. 3

### Verify

Fetch the live URL and `/p/relational-records` on the example; on failure read the build and runtime logs.

```
ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build
```

## EXAMPLES

### Tested examples

- **ASP.NET Core pattern fixture** (`tests/deploy-canaries/asp-net-core-patterns`): Verified database connection on ASP.NET Core.

## SUCCESS CHECKS

### How to know it worked

- app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary asp net core patterns)
- relational-records check from the example (`/p/relational-records` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks)

## COST

### Cost estimate

Estimated 10.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision ca0b484a7a9957c573a88d3a32dc603c3c10135a).

- app server x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD
- managed PostgreSQL database x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD

Upper-bound monthly price of the tested sizes. Buckets are allocation-priced per quota and not included.

## EVIDENCE

### Verification evidence

- canary_run on 2026-09-21T01:15:54Z at revision `50dbac567d2c5cc8e55e6c748a646be0025d9cfb (CLI 0.1.21)`: ASP.NET Core pattern fixture deployed on Ample (dotnet publish -c Release -o out in the builder, then dotnet <entry>.dll on the dotnet-10 template with ASPNETCORE_URLS bound to PORT); for this guide: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). (expires 2027-03-20T01:15:54Z)

## EXECUTION

### Execution binding

MCP tool `ample_deploy` (registry `mcp:ample_deploy`), schema hash `876465fce906da0c` observed 2026-09-22T00:31:22.774679+00:00 at revision `e6446ceea69b`. Binding state at export: schema_changed. Required scopes: servers:write, databases:read.

## NEXT ACTIONS

### Typed next actions

- Browse the catalog index (`GET /v1/catalog` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints (`POST /v1/catalog/search` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project (`POST /v1/catalog/plan` on the api origin; authentication required, approval not required)
- Read the existing agent authentication setup (`GET /mcp/setup` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Browse ASP.NET Core (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-asp-net-core` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Browse Connect app to database (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Aconnect-app-to-database` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Browse Relational records (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Arelational-records` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)

## ABOUT THIS RECIPE

### Identifiers and status

Recipe `page:guides:asp-net-core:database-connection`. Revision r1.

Release **published** support **verified** execution **blocked (schema_changed: live tool schema differs from the recorded binding)**

Formats: [HTML](/content/guides/asp-net-core/database-connection/index.html) | [Markdown](/content/guides/asp-net-core/database-connection.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Aguides%3Aasp-net-core%3Adatabase-connection)