## The short version

Connect a Next.js app to PostgreSQL on Ample from a route handler. Read DATABASE_URL at request time (force-dynamic) with pg; with no DATABASE_URL supplied, Ample auto-provisions a managed PostgreSQL 16 database and injects its connection string as an encrypted environment variable.

## 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.)

## Before you start

- The pg driver in dependencies and a route handler that reads process.env.DATABASE_URL at request time
- Either a production DATABASE_URL to pass with --env, or nothing (auto-provision)
- An Ample account token with servers:write and databases:read

## How to do it

1. 1

### Keep the database out of the build

Mark the route handler dynamic and open the client per request; next build must not need the database.

2. 2

### Deploy

Omit DATABASE_URL to auto-provision, or pass --env DATABASE_URL=... to use an existing database.

```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public
   ```

3. 3

### Test through the app

Fetch the route; it should report postgres=ok after a real query.

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
   ```

## Tested examples

- **Next.js + pg canary** (`tests/deploy-canaries/next-postgres-basic`): Route handler /api/db with an auto-provisioned managed database.

## How to know it worked

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

## 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.

## Verification evidence

- canary_run on 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96 (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)
- 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 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.

## 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 Next.js (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-next-js` 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.

## Identifiers and status

Recipe `page:guides:next-js:database-connection`. Revision r1.

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

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