# Configure environment and secrets for Next.js

## Summary

Configure environment variables and secrets for a Next.js 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 requirements

- [Compute](/discover/primitive/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.)

## Prerequisites

- 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

## Exact tested configuration

- template: `node-22`
- runtime: `node`
- size: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- install: `npm install`
- build: `npm run build --if-present`
- start: `npm run start`

## Steps

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 --env CANARY_SECRET=...
   ```
3. **Confirm without echoing.** Expose a route (/api/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
   ```

## Tested examples

- **Next.js secret probe canary** (tests/deploy-canaries/next-postgres-basic): /api/config reports secret=set for an --env value delivered encrypted.

## Success checks

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

## Limitations

- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other templates and sizes are not verified by this recipe.
- Region, compliance attestations and request-duration limits are unknown and not claimed.
- Apps auto-pause when idle and wake on the next request; always-on is an operator setting, not a plan feature.
- Plain env in the API request is rejected; only the encrypted path is supported.
- Rotating a secret requires a redeploy with the new value.

## Cost estimate

Estimated 5.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision a1b8c38919e59cd035ebabaced73cf84ece24371).
- app server x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD

Apps and managed databases auto-pause when idle; the estimate is the always-on monthly price of the tested sizes. Plan quotas and budgets apply.

## Verification evidence

- canary_run on 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96-dirty (CLI e3181f5)`: Next.js 15 route handler using pg with no DATABASE_URL supplied: Ample auto-provisioned a managed PostgreSQL database and /api/db reported postgres=ok. (expires 2027-03-19T01:42:25Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z

## 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 `current`, required scopes: servers:write.