Migrate Heroku app: FastAPI | Ample
INFRASTRUCTURE
What it needs
- 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.)
- Postgres: 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
Before you start
- Authorized access to the Heroku 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
TESTED CONFIGURATION
Exactly what was tested
- install:
python3 -m pip install --target .ample/python -r requirements.txt - runtime:
python - size:
s-1vcpu-1gb - start:
PYTHONPATH=.ample/python:${PYTHONPATH:-} python3 run.py - template:
python-3.12
STEP BY STEP
How to do it
- Inventory the source
List what Heroku app provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Heroku add-ons other than Postgres, release-phase scheduling, dyno autoscaling and Heroku Scheduler are not migrated; use --release-command for release tasks.
- Source step 1
Export config vars with heroku config -s -a <app> into an env file kept out of the repository
- Source step 2
Translate the Procfile web process into the start command (--start or the package manifest's start script); worker processes need a separate --kind worker service
- Source step 3
Note buildpacks and add-ons in use; managed databases replace Heroku Postgres, other add-ons need their own plan
- Deploy on Ample in parallel
pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then uvicorn from run.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template. Pass the exported variables with --env; keep the source running.
ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --start "python3 run.py" --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 Heroku DNS target, keep the Heroku app until verified, then scale it down.
8. **Rollback**
Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation.
## EXAMPLES
### Tested examples
- **FastAPI pattern fixture (destination)** (`tests/deploy-canaries/fastapi-patterns`): Verified destination basis: FastAPI compute.
## SUCCESS CHECKS
### How to know it worked
- destination app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary fastapi 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
## LIMITATIONS
### Know the limits
- Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
- The source-side procedure is documented from Heroku app's standard tooling and was not executed in this catalog's evidence; the destination side was verified with the pattern fixture.
- No full source-product parity is claimed: Heroku add-ons other than Postgres, release-phase scheduling, dyno autoscaling and Heroku Scheduler are not migrated; use `--release-command` for release tasks.
- Verified on the python-3.12 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; region, compliance and request-duration limits are unknown.
- Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures on the managed side are not verified beyond the pattern checks.
## COST
### 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
Destination always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle. Source costs are unknown to Ample.
## EVIDENCE
### Verification evidence
- canary_run on 2026-09-21T01:14:18Z at revision `50dbac567d2c5cc8e55e6c748a646be0025d9cfb-dirty (CLI 0.1.21)`: Destination side verified: the FastAPI pattern fixture deployed on Ample (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then uvicorn from run.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 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 Heroku app is documented from the vendor's standard tooling and was not executed by this catalog's evidence. (expires 2027-03-20T01:14:18Z)
## EXECUTION
### Execution binding
No execution binding. This recipe is documentation only; nothing is executed automatically.
## NEXT ACTIONS
### 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 Heroku app (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Aheroku-app` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Browse FastAPI (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-fastapi` 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.