## The short version

Connect a Django app to PostgreSQL on Ample. Read DATABASE_URL at runtime with dj-database-url with psycopg: when you supply one with --env it is delivered encrypted and takes precedence; when you supply none and the app needs PostgreSQL, Ample auto-provisions a managed PostgreSQL 16 database and injects its connection string.

## 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

- dj-database-url with psycopg reading the DATABASE_URL environment variable at runtime
- Either a production DATABASE_URL to pass with --env, or nothing (auto-provision)
- An Ample account token with servers:write and databases:read

## STEP BY STEP

### How to do it

1. 1
   
   ### Read the URL at runtime
   
   Open connections from the DATABASE_URL environment variable inside the app; never commit credentials and never connect at build time.

2. 2
   
   ### Choose the source of the database
   
   Pass --env DATABASE_URL=... for an existing database, or omit it to let Ample provision a managed one on first deploy and reuse it on redeploys.
   
   ```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --start "python3 run.py"
   ```

3. 3
   
   ### Test the connection through the app
   
   Expose a route (/db) that runs a trivial query and returns postgres=ok.

4. 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 + PostgreSQL canary** (`tests/deploy-canaries/django-postgres`): Auto-provisioned managed database with a real query.

## SUCCESS CHECKS

### How to know it worked

- database route reports a live connection (`/db` on the live URL, expect postgres=ok)

## 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. 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)
- canary_run on 2026-09-19T23:55:33Z at revision `1764076-tls-account-903d345`: Node app needing PostgreSQL with no DATABASE_URL: a managed database was auto-provisioned and /db reported postgres=ok. (expires 2027-03-18T23:55:33Z)

## 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, 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 Django (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-django` 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)

Actions describe possible next steps. They are typed data, not commands, and grant no permission. Public discovery never provisions anything; planning requires your own authenticated token and approval happens in your client.

## ABOUT THIS RECIPE

### Identifiers and status

Recipe `page:guides:django:database-connection`. Revision r1.

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

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