Host admin dashboard with Phoenix: private documents | 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.)
S3-compatible object storage: verified (Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.)

Before you start

A Phoenix project that builds and starts with the documented commands (mix deps.get, MIX_ENV=prod mix compile and mix release in the builder, then the release bin script with PHX_SERVER=true on the elixir-1.18 template; PORT, DATABASE_URL and SECRET_KEY_BASE read in config/runtime.exs)
A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env)
A bucket from ample bucket create with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read

Exactly what was tested

build: MIX_ENV=prod mix compile && MIX_ENV=prod mix release --overwrite
install: mix local.hex --force && mix local.rebar --force && MIX_ENV=prod mix deps.get --only prod
runtime: elixir
size: s-1vcpu-1gb
start: PHX_SERVER=true _build/prod/rel/$(ls _build/prod/rel | head -n 1)/bin/$(ls _build/prod/rel | head -n 1) start
template: elixir-1.18

How to do it

Build and start

mix deps.get, MIX_ENV=prod mix compile and mix release in the builder, then the release bin script with PHX_SERVER=true on the elixir-1.18 template; PORT, DATABASE_URL and SECRET_KEY_BASE read in config/runtime.exs. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.

Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL

The fixture's module implements private document library: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.

Wire object storage

Create the bucket(s), then pass endpoint, region, bucket and keys as --env values. Use path-style addressing. Keep private data in an unpublished bucket.

Deploy

Run the synchronous deploy once and read the result (exit 0 live, 1 failed, 2 blocked). Re-running with no change is a no-op.

ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...

Verify

Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/private-document-library) from the example; then run your own checks. On failure read ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build then --kind runtime.

ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build

Tested examples

Phoenix pattern fixture (tests/deploy-canaries/phoenix-patterns): Multi-pattern Phoenix app whose private document library module was checked live; the module is under tests/deploy-canaries/_pattern-modules.

How to know it worked

app responds on its public URL (/ on the live URL, expect ample canary phoenix patterns)
private-document-library self-test (/p/private-document-library on the live URL, expect private=ok (with ?role=owner; 401 without, 403 for viewer))

Know the limits

Verified on the elixir-1.18 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Phoenix major versions are not verified.
The admin dashboard itself (your identity integration and role assignments) is application code and was not separately tested; the pattern checks are what was verified.
Region, compliance attestations and request-duration limits are unknown and not claimed.
Apps auto-pause when idle and wake on the next request; always-on is an operator setting, not a plan feature.
Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures are not verified; apps and their databases are placed together.
PutObject and GetObject with path-style addressing are verified; multipart upload, listing, presigned URLs and lifecycle rules are not.

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 and databases auto-pause when idle. Buckets are allocation-priced per quota and not included.

Verification evidence

canary_run on 2026-09-20T23:45:31Z at revision 4d1511e574302f3904b75088bd4048a0975218b3-dirty (CLI 0.1.21): Phoenix pattern fixture deployed on Ample (mix deps.get, MIX_ENV=prod mix compile and mix release in the builder, then the release bin script with PHX_SERVER=true on the elixir-1.18 template; PORT, DATABASE_URL and SECRET_KEY_BASE read in config/runtime.exs); checks passed for private-document-library and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). (expires 2027-03-19T23:45:31Z)
canary_run on 2026-09-20T23:45:31Z at revision 4d1511e574302f3904b75088bd4048a0975218b3-dirty (CLI 0.1.21): The same Phoenix app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation. (expires 2027-03-19T23:45:31Z)

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 at export: current. Required scopes: servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read.

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 Admin dashboard (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/workload%3Aadmin-dashboard on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
Browse Phoenix (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-phoenix on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
Browse Private document library (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Aprivate-document-library on the api origin; authentication not required, approval not required)
Browse Deploy web app (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Adeploy-web-app 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.