database connection.md

Connect Postgres for Gin

Summary

Database connection for a Gin app on Ample. Verified on Gin: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). Build and start: CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o app ./... then ./app on the ubuntu-24.04 template (go.sum committed for a reproducible build).

Infrastructure requirements

Verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.)
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 Gin project (CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o app ./... then ./app on the ubuntu-24.04 template (go.sum committed for a reproducible build))
A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime
An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

Exact tested configuration

template: ubuntu-24.04
runtime: go
size: s-1vcpu-1gb
build: CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o app ./...
start: ./app

Steps

Build and start. CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o app ./... then ./app on the ubuntu-24.04 template (go.sum committed for a reproducible build); the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
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.
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
```

Tested examples

Gin pattern fixture (tests/deploy-canaries/gin-patterns): Verified database connection on Gin.

Success checks

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

Limitations

Verified on the ubuntu-24.04 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other sizes and Gin 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.

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.

Verification evidence

canary_run on 2026-09-21T01:15:54Z at revision 50dbac567d2c5cc8e55e6c748a646be0025d9cfb-dirty (CLI 0.1.21): Gin pattern fixture deployed on Ample (CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o app ./... then ./app on the ubuntu-24.04 template (go.sum committed for a reproducible build)); 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)

Last verified: 2026-09-21T01:15:54Z