## The short version

Move Django compute from Netlify web 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: Copy environment variables from Site configuration (or `netlify env:list`) into an env file kept out of the repository. Not migrated automatically: Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, Forms, Identity and `_redirects`/`_headers` rules are not migrated; implement redirects in the app or the framework. Cutover: Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, set the documented DNS records, keep the Netlify site until verified, then remove the domain from Netlify. 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 Netlify web 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 Netlify web app provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, Forms, Identity and `_redirects`/`_headers` rules are not migrated; implement redirects in the app or the framework.

2. ### Source step 1
   Copy environment variables from Site configuration (or `netlify env:list`) into an env file kept out of the repository

3. ### Source step 2
   Translate `netlify.toml` build settings (command, publish directory) into the repository's own build script; Ample runs the detected build

4. ### Source step 3
   List Netlify-only features in use: functions, edge functions, forms, identity, redirects and headers rules

5. ### Deploy on Ample in parallel
   `pip install` into `.ample/python` from `requirements.txt`, then `waitress` serving `project.wsgi` 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`, set the documented DNS records, keep the Netlify site until verified, then remove the domain from Netlify.

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

- **Django pattern fixture (destination)** (`tests/deploy-canaries/django-patterns`): Verified destination basis: Django compute.

## How to know it worked

- destination app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary django 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 2026-09-20T03:31:44Z at revision `03b6402b1b3e19178985f08ea4033804521d85d4 (CLI b75e104)`: Destination side verified: the Django pattern fixture deployed on Ample (pip install into `.ample/python` from `requirements.txt`, then `waitress` serving `project.wsgi` 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 Netlify web app is documented from the vendor's standard tooling and was not executed by this catalog's evidence. (expires 2027-03-19T03:31:44Z)

## 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 Netlify web app (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Anetlify-web-app` on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
- Browse Django (`GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-django` 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:netlify-web-app:django`. Revision r1.

release **published** support **verified** execution **unbound**