Host recruiting tracker with Laravel: relational workspace data

Summary

Deploy a recruiting tracker built with Laravel 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 Laravel: 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 recruiting tracker-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 Laravel project that builds and starts with the documented commands (composer install --no-dev from composer.lock, then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 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: php-8.5
• runtime: php
• size: s-1vcpu-1gb
• install: composer install --no-dev --prefer-dist --no-interaction --no-progress --optimize-autoloader
• start: frankenphp php-server --listen :$PORT --root public

Steps

1. Build and start. composer install --no-dev from composer.lock, then FrankenPHP serving public/ (php-server with the index.php fallback) reading PORT on the php-8.5 template. 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

• Laravel pattern fixture (tests/deploy-canaries/laravel-patterns): Multi-pattern Laravel 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 laravel patterns)
• relational-records self-test (/p/relational-records on the live URL, expect records=ok transitions=true isolation=true)

Limitations

• Verified on the php-8.5 template at s-1vcpu-1gb with the example fixture; other sizes, templates and Laravel major versions are not verified.
• The recruiting tracker 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.