# Connect Postgres for Symfony

## Summary

Database connection for a Symfony app on Ample. Verified on Symfony: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). Build and start: composer install --no-dev from composer.lock with Symfony Runtime's dotenv disabled (extra.runtime.disable_dotenv; .env never ships, its values arrive as encrypted env, and compile-time parameters such as DEFAULT_URI need a default), then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 template with APP_ENV=prod.

## Infrastructure requirements

- [Compute](/content/discover/primitive/compute/index.html): 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](/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

- A Symfony project (composer install --no-dev from composer.lock with Symfony Runtime's dotenv disabled (extra.runtime.disable_dotenv; .env never ships, its values arrive as encrypted env, and compile-time parameters such as DEFAULT_URI need a default), then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 template with APP_ENV=prod)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read

## Exact tested configuration

- template: `php-8.5`
- runtime: `php`
- size: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- install: `composer install --no-dev --prefer-dist --no-interaction --no-progress --optimize-autoloader`
- start: `frankenphp php-server --listen :$PORT --root public`

## Steps

1. **Build and start.** composer install --no-dev from composer.lock with Symfony Runtime's dotenv disabled (extra.runtime.disable_dotenv; .env never ships, its values arrive as encrypted env, and compile-time parameters such as DEFAULT_URI need a default), then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 template with APP_ENV=prod; the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
2. **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.
3. **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

- **Symfony pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/symfony-patterns): Verified database connection on Symfony.

## Success checks

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

## Limitations

- Verified on the php-8.5 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; other sizes and Symfony 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 2026-09-20T22:23:52Z at revision `64a7bb8e37dd-dirty (CLI 64a7bb8)`: Symfony pattern fixture deployed on Ample (composer install --no-dev from composer.lock with Symfony Runtime's dotenv disabled (extra.runtime.disable_dotenv; .env never ships, its values arrive as encrypted env, and compile-time parameters such as DEFAULT_URI need a default), then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 template with APP_ENV=prod); for this guide: a managed PostgreSQL database auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, with real queries succeeding at request time (records=ok). (expires 2027-03-19T22:23:52Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-20T22:23:52Z

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