# The short version

Configure environment variables and secrets for a Django app on Ample. Values passed with `--env` or `--env-file` are stored encrypted and injected at runtime; the platform never prints them and `ample.toml` declares only variable names. The fixture proves delivery by reporting whether the secret is set without echoing it.

## 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.)

## PREREQUISITES

### Before you start

- Code that reads configuration from the process environment
- The secret values at hand for `--env` or an env file
- An Ample account token with `servers:write`

## STEP BY STEP

### How to do it

1. **Declare, do not commit**  
   In `ample.toml` declare `SMTP_KEY = { secret = true }` style entries; never put literal secrets in the manifest.

2. **Pass values on deploy**  
   Use `--env KEY=value` (repeatable) or `--env-file .env.production`; values are encrypted at rest and reused on redeploys.
   
   ```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --start "python3 run.py" --env CANARY_SECRET=...
   ```

3. **Confirm without echoing**  
   Expose a route (`/config`) that reports `secret=set` or `secret=missing`, never the value.

4. **Verify**  
   Fetch the live URL and run the success checks below. On failure read the build log, then the runtime log, fix the cause and deploy again; do not blind-retry.
   
   ```
   ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build
   ```

## EXAMPLES

### Tested examples

- **Django secret probe canary** (`tests/deploy-canaries/django-postgres`): /config reports `secret=set` for an `--env` value delivered encrypted.

## SUCCESS CHECKS

### How to know it worked

- app sees the configured variable without exposing it (`/config` on the live URL, expect `secret=set`)

## COST

### Cost estimate

Estimated 5.00 USD per month (size prices from `pricing.toml` at build revision `ca0b484a7a9957c573a88d3a32dc603c3c10135a`).

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

Upper-bound monthly price of the tested sizes. Plan quotas and budgets apply.

## EVIDENCE

### Verification evidence

- `canary_run` on `2026-09-20T01:42:25Z` at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96 (CLI e3181f5)`: Django 5 project with `dj-database-url` and `psycopg`: the managed PostgreSQL database was auto-provisioned, `python3 manage.py migrate` ran as the release command, and `/db` and `/migrated` reported `postgres=ok` and the migrated marker. (expires `2027-03-19T01:42:25Z`)

## EXECUTION

### Execution binding

MCP tool `ample_deploy` (registry `mcp:ample_deploy`), schema hash `876465fce906da0c` observed `2026-09-20T01:55:48.667900+00:00` at revision `199ff1dfd526`. Binding state at export: `schema_changed`. Required scopes: `servers:write`.

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### Typed next actions

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## ABOUT THIS RECIPE

### Identifiers and status

Recipe `page:guides:django:configuration-secrets`. Revision r1.

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

Formats: [HTML](/content/guides/django/configuration-secrets/index.html) | [Markdown](/content/guides/django/configuration-secrets.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Aguides%3Adjango%3Aconfiguration-secrets)