INFRASTRUCTURE

What it needs

• Compute: verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.)
• Postgres: 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.)
• S3-compatible object storage: verified (Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.)

PREREQUISITES

Before you start

• A Flask project (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress from app.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template)
• A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime
• A bucket from ample bucket create with credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
• An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read

TESTED CONFIGURATION

Exactly what was tested

• install: python3 -m pip install --target .ample/python -r requirements.txt
• runtime: python
• size: s-1vcpu-1gb
• start: PYTHONPATH=.ample/python:${PYTHONPATH:-} python3 app.py
• template: python-3.12

STEP BY STEP

How to do it

1. 1

Build and start

pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress from app.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template; the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.

2. 2

Create the bucket and pass its credentials

Create it once with ample bucket create, then pass endpoint, region, bucket and keys with --env; use path-style addressing.

ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --start "python3 app.py" --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...

3. 3

Authorize before touching storage

Return 401 for unauthenticated requests and 403 for the wrong role; keep the bucket unpublished and stream objects through the app.

4. 4

Verify

Fetch the live URL and /p/private-document-library on the example; on failure read the build and runtime logs.

ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build

EXAMPLES

Tested examples

• Flask pattern fixture (tests/deploy-canaries/flask-patterns): Verified private file access on Flask.

SUCCESS CHECKS

How to know it worked

• app responds on its public URL (/ on the live URL, expect ample canary flask patterns)
• private-document-library check from the example (/p/private-document-library on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks)

LIMITATIONS

Know the limits

• Verified on the python-3.12 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other sizes and Flask major versions are not verified.
• Region, compliance attestations and request-duration limits are unknown and not claimed.
• Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures are not verified.
• PutObject and GetObject with path-style addressing are verified; other S3 operations are not.

COST

Cost estimate

Estimated 10.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision a1b8c38919e59cd035ebabaced73cf84ece24371).

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

Always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle. Buckets are allocation-priced per quota and not included.

EVIDENCE

Verification evidence

• canary_run on 2026-09-21T01:14:18Z at revision 50dbac567d2c5cc8e55e6c748a646be0025d9cfb-dirty (CLI 0.1.21): Flask pattern fixture deployed on Ample (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress from app.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template); for this guide: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401, 403) and an authorized private-bucket round-trip (private=ok). (expires 2027-03-20T01:14:18Z)

EXECUTION

Execution binding

MCP tool ample_deploy (registry mcp:ample_deploy), schema hash 876465fce906da0c observed 2026-09-21T03:19:59.461917+00:00 at revision 49962bcade4f. Binding state at export: current. Required scopes: servers:write, databases:read, buckets: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 Flask (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-flask on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
• Browse Connect app to storage (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Aconnect-app-to-storage on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
• Browse Private document library (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Aprivate-document-library 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.