---
title: "Connect Postgres for Next.js"
description: "Connect a Next.js app to PostgreSQL on Ample from a route handler."
canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/guides/next-js/database-connection"
last_updated: "2026-09-20"
---

# Connect Postgres for Next.js

Canonical URL: https://ample.computer/guides/next-js/database-connection
Formats: [HTML](https://ample.computer/guides/next-js/database-connection) | [Markdown](https://ample.computer/guides/next-js/database-connection.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Aguides%3Anext-js%3Adatabase-connection)
Recipe ID: `page:guides:next-js:database-connection` | Revision: `r1` | Catalog revision: `cat_f13ab9a494120b5e`

Status: release `published`, support `verified`, execution `ready`

## Summary

Connect a Next.js app to PostgreSQL on Ample from a route handler. Read DATABASE_URL at request time (force-dynamic) with pg; with no DATABASE_URL supplied, Ample auto-provisions a managed PostgreSQL 16 database and injects its connection string as an encrypted environment variable.

Path: [Agent hosting discovery](/discover/discovery) / [Frameworks and execution targets](/discover/stack) / [Frameworks](/discover/stack/frameworks) / [Next.js](/discover/stack/framework-next-js) / [Connect Postgres for Next.js](/guides/next-js/database-connection)

## Infrastructure requirements

- [Compute](/discover/primitive/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](/discover/primitive/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

- The pg driver in dependencies and a route handler that reads process.env.DATABASE_URL at request time
- Either a production DATABASE_URL to pass with --env, or nothing (auto-provision)
- An Ample account token with servers:write and 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. **Keep the database out of the build.** Mark the route handler dynamic and open the client per request; next build must not need the database.
2. **Deploy.** Omit DATABASE_URL to auto-provision, or pass --env DATABASE_URL=... to use an existing database.

   ```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public
   ```
3. **Test through the app.** Fetch the route; it should report postgres=ok after a real query.
4. **Verify.** Fetch the live URL and run the success checks below. On failure read the build log, then the runtime log, fix the cause and deploy again; do not blind-retry.

   ```
   ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build
   ```

## Tested examples

- **Next.js + pg canary** (tests/deploy-canaries/next-postgres-basic): Route handler /api/db with an auto-provisioned managed database.

## Success checks

- database route reports a live connection (`/api/db` on the live URL, expect postgres=ok)


## Cost estimate

Estimated 10.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision 515b7316fc6e5a81679407ae0c811146ceb2c5c7).
- app server x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD
- managed PostgreSQL database x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD

Apps and managed databases auto-pause when idle; the estimate is the always-on monthly price of the tested sizes. Plan quotas and budgets apply.

## Verification evidence

- canary_run on 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96 (CLI e3181f5)`: Next.js 15 route handler using pg with no DATABASE_URL supplied: Ample auto-provisioned a managed PostgreSQL database and /api/db reported postgres=ok. (expires 2027-03-19T01:42:25Z)
- canary_run on 2026-09-19T23:55:33Z at revision `1764076-tls-account-903d345`: Node app needing PostgreSQL with no DATABASE_URL: a managed database was auto-provisioned and /db reported postgres=ok. (expires 2027-03-18T23:55:33Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-20T01:42:25Z


## Execution binding

MCP tool `ample_deploy` (registry `mcp:ample_deploy`), schema hash `876465fce906da0c` observed 2026-09-20T01:55:48.667900+00:00 at revision `199ff1dfd526`, binding state `current`, required scopes: servers:write, databases:read.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "properties": {
    "env": {
      "description": "Encrypted environment variables as KEY=value; secret values are never stored in ample.toml",
      "items": {
        "pattern": "^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*=.*$",
        "type": "string"
      },
      "maxItems": 50,
      "type": "array"
    },
    "name": {
      "description": "App name (lowercase, digits and dashes)",
      "maxLength": 63,
      "minLength": 1,
      "pattern": "^[a-z0-9-]+$",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "path": {
      "description": "Project directory to deploy, or one service name from ample.toml",
      "maxLength": 512,
      "minLength": 1,
      "type": "string"
    },
    "size": {
      "description": "VM size; omit to let Ample pick a runtime-safe size",
      "enum": [
        "s-1vcpu-256mb",
        "s-1vcpu-1gb",
        "s-1vcpu-2gb",
        "s-2vcpu-2gb",
        "s-2vcpu-4gb"
      ],
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "name",
    "path"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

## 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 Next.js (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-next-js on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
- Browse Connect app to database (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Aconnect-app-to-database on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
- Browse Relational records (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Arelational-records on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)

Actions describe possible next steps. They are typed data, not commands, and grant no permission.