## The short version Move Next.js compute from AWS EC2 app to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered. Source procedure: Collect the process environment from the instance (systemd unit or process manager config) into an env file kept out of the repository. Not migrated automatically: Cron jobs, local files on the instance disk, security-group networking and IAM instance roles are not migrated; use managed databases, buckets and encrypted env instead. Cutover: Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, update DNS from the instance or load balancer, keep the instance until verified, then stop it. Rollback: keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide. ## 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 - Authorized access to the AWS EC2 app source and its export tooling - An inventory of every component in scope and out of scope - A validated backup or copy before any cutover - An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read ## How to do it 1. Inventory the source List what AWS EC2 app provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Cron jobs, local files on the instance disk, security-group networking and IAM instance roles are not migrated; use managed databases, buckets and encrypted env instead. 2. Source step 1 Collect the process environment from the instance (systemd unit or process manager config) into an env file kept out of the repository 3. Source step 2 Replace the instance's process manager with the repository's start command; Ample supervises the process and restarts it 4. Source step 3 Inventory what else runs on the instance: databases, cron, reverse proxy rules, local files 5. Deploy on Ample in parallel `next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT` on the node-22 template. Pass the exported variables with --env; keep the source running. ``` ample deploy . --name --public --env-file .env.production ``` 6. Validate before cutover Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums; the example checks are the pattern self-tests (/p/configuration-secrets, /p/relational-records). 7. Cut over Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, update DNS from the instance or load balancer, keep the instance until verified, then stop it. 8. Rollback Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation. ## Tested examples - **Next.js pattern fixture (destination)** (`tests/deploy-canaries/next-js-patterns`): Verified destination basis: Next.js compute. ## How to know it worked - destination app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary next js patterns) - configuration-secrets check from the destination example (`/p/configuration-secrets` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks) - relational-records check from the destination example (`/p/relational-records` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks) - data or object counts and checksums match the source ## 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 at the destination. Source costs are unknown to Ample. ## Verification evidence - canary_run on 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z at revision `1d28ae0 (CLI 0.1.21)`: Destination side verified: the Next.js pattern fixture deployed on Ample (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template) and its checks passed (the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered). The source-side export from AWS EC2 app is documented from the vendor's standard tooling and was not executed by this catalog's evidence. (expires 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z) ## Execution binding No execution binding. This recipe is documentation only; nothing is executed automatically. ## 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 AWS EC2 app (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Aaws-ec2-app` 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 Migrate compute (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Amigrate-compute` 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:migrate:aws-ec2-app:next-js`. Revision r1. release **published** support **verified** execution **unbound** Formats: [HTML](/content/migrate/aws-ec2-app/next-js/index.html) | [Markdown](/content/migrate/aws-ec2-app/next-js.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Amigrate%3Aaws-ec2-app%3Anext-js)