# Host help desk with Spring Boot: relational workspace data

## Summary

Deploy a help desk built with Spring Boot on Ample using the relational records 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 Spring Boot: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true). Not separately tested: your record schema, states and access rules; treat the help desk-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 Spring Boot project that builds and starts with the documented commands (./mvnw -q -DskipTests package (or the Gradle wrapper) producing one application jar, then java -jar on the jvm-21 template (Temurin JDK 21) with server.port read from PORT)
- 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: `jvm-21`
- runtime: `java`
- size: `s-1vcpu-2gb`
- build: `./mvnw -q -DskipTests package`
- start: `java -jar $(ls target/*.jar | grep -v -- '-plain' | head -n 1)`

## Steps

1. **Build and start.** ./mvnw -q -DskipTests package (or the Gradle wrapper) producing one application jar, then java -jar on the jvm-21 template (Temurin JDK 21) with server.port read from PORT. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
2. **Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL.** The fixture's module implements relational records: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true). 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/relational-records) 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

- **Spring Boot pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/spring-boot-patterns): Multi-pattern Spring Boot app whose relational records 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 spring boot patterns)
- relational-records self-test (`/p/relational-records` on the live URL, expect records=ok transitions=true isolation=true)

## Limitations

- Verified on the jvm-21 template at s-1vcpu-2gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Spring Boot major versions are not verified.
- The help desk itself (your record schema, states and access rules) 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)`: Spring Boot pattern fixture deployed on Ample (./mvnw -q -DskipTests package (or the Gradle wrapper) producing one application jar, then java -jar on the jvm-21 template (Temurin JDK 21) with server.port read from PORT); checks passed for relational-records and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: a workspace-scoped table, an explicit state machine (draft to review to published) that rejects invalid transitions, and a cross-workspace read that returns nothing (transitions=true isolation=true). (expires 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z)
- canary_run on 2026-09-20T22:49:19Z at revision `af6f45adea26-dirty (CLI af6f45a)`: The same Spring Boot app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation. (expires 2027-03-19T22:49:19Z)

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.