# Host client portal with Next.js: application activity history

## Summary

Deploy a client portal built with Next.js on Ample using the transactional workflows pattern. Compute runs the app in an isolated microVM behind a public HTTPS URL, a managed PostgreSQL 16 database is auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL. Verified on Next.js: an optimistic version check and an event row written in the same transaction, a stale update rejected, and a history query over the application-owned events (history=2 conflict=rejected). Not separately tested: your domain records, validation rules and concurrency policy; treat the client portal-specific behavior as your application code.

## 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

- A Next.js project that builds and starts with the documented commands (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template)  
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env)  
- 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. **Build and start.** next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.  
2. **Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL.** The fixture's module implements transactional workflows: an optimistic version check and an event row written in the same transaction, a stale update rejected, and a history query over the application-owned events (history=2 conflict=rejected). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.  
3. **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  
   ```  
4. **Verify.** Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/transactional-workflows) 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

- **Next.js pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/next-js-patterns): Multi-pattern Next.js app whose transactional workflows module was checked live; the module is under tests/deploy-canaries/_pattern-modules.

## Success checks

- app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary next js patterns)  
- transactional-workflows self-test (`/p/transactional-workflows` on the live URL, expect tx=ok history=2 conflict=rejected)

## Limitations

- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Next.js major versions are not verified.  
- The client portal itself (your domain records, validation rules and concurrency policy) 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.

## 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 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z at revision `1d28ae0-dirty (CLI 0.1.21)`: Next.js pattern fixture deployed on Ample (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template); checks passed for transactional-workflows and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: an optimistic version check and an event row written in the same transaction, a stale update rejected, and a history query over the application-owned events (history=2 conflict=rejected). (expires 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z)  
- canary_run on 2026-09-20T01:54:51Z at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96-dirty (CLI e3181f5)`: The same Next.js app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation. (expires 2027-03-19T01:54:51Z)

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

## 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 `current`, required scopes: servers:write, databases:read.