Migrate Railway app: Next.js

Summary

Move Next.js compute from Railway 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: Export variables from the Railway service (Variables tab or railway variables) into an env file kept out of the repository. Not migrated automatically: Railway cron schedules, volumes and private networking are not migrated; persistent data belongs in a managed database, a bucket or an Ample volume. Cutover: Add the custom domain with ample domain add, update DNS from the Railway target, keep the Railway service until verified, then remove it. Rollback: keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

Infrastructure requirements

• 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

• Authorized access to the Railway 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

Exact tested configuration

• template: node-22
• runtime: node
• size: s-1vcpu-1gb
• install: npm install
• build: npm run build --if-present
• start: npm run start

Steps

1. Inventory the source. List what Railway app provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Railway cron schedules, volumes and private networking are not migrated; persistent data belongs in a managed database, a bucket or an Ample volume.
2. Source step 1. Export variables from the Railway service (Variables tab or railway variables) into an env file kept out of the repository.
3. Source step 2. Translate railway.json/Nixpacks settings into the repository's build and start commands; Ample detects Node and Python builds itself.
4. Source step 3. Note Railway-only features in use: cron schedules, volumes, private networking, templates.
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;

   ample deploy . --name <app-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 Railway target, keep the Railway service until verified, then remove 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.

Success checks

• 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

Limitations

• Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
• The source-side procedure is documented from Railway 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: Railway cron schedules, volumes and private networking are not migrated; persistent data belongs in a managed database, a bucket or an Ample volume.
• Verified on the node-22 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 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.

Verification evidence

• canary_run on 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z at revision 1d28ae0-dirty (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 Railway app is documented from the vendor's standard tooling and was not executed by this catalog's evidence. (expires 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z

Execution binding

No execution binding. This recipe is documentation only; nothing is executed automatically.

Next actions

• Browse the catalog index (GET /v1/catalog on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
• Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints (POST /v1/catalog/search on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
• Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project (POST /v1/catalog/plan on the api origin; auth: true, approval: false)
• Read the existing agent authentication setup (GET /mcp/setup on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
• Browse Railway app (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Arailway-app on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
• Browse Next.js (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-next-js on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
• Browse Migrate compute (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Amigrate-compute on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)

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