---
title: "Configure environment and secrets for Rails"
description: "Configuration and secrets for a Rails app on Ample."
canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/guides/rails/configuration-secrets"
last_updated: "2026-09-20"
---

# Configure environment and secrets for Rails

Canonical URL: https://ample.computer/guides/rails/configuration-secrets
Formats: [HTML](https://ample.computer/guides/rails/configuration-secrets) | [Markdown](https://ample.computer/guides/rails/configuration-secrets.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Aguides%3Arails%3Aconfiguration-secrets)
Recipe ID: `page:guides:rails:configuration-secrets` | Revision: `r1` | Catalog revision: `cat_f13ab9a494120b5e`

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

## Summary

Configuration and secrets for a Rails app on Ample. Verified on Rails: an --env value delivered encrypted and reported as present without being echoed (secret=set). Build and start: bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via `rails server` reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production.

Path: [Agent hosting discovery](/discover/discovery) / [Frameworks and execution targets](/discover/stack) / [Frameworks](/discover/stack/frameworks) / [Rails](/discover/stack/framework-rails) / [Configure environment and secrets for Rails](/guides/rails/configuration-secrets)

## 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.)

## Prerequisites

- A Rails project (bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via `rails server` reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production)
- An Ample account token with servers:write

## Exact tested configuration

- template: `ruby-3.4`
- runtime: `ruby`
- size: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- install: `bundle config set --local path vendor/bundle && bundle config set --local without 'development test' && bundle install`
- start: `bundle exec rails server -b 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT`

## Steps

1. **Build and start.** bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via `rails server` reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production; the server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
2. **Pass values on deploy.** Use --env KEY=value (repeatable) or --env-file; values are encrypted at rest and reused on redeploys. Declare names only in ample.toml.

   ```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --env MY_SECRET=...
   ```
3. **Verify.** Fetch the live URL and /p/configuration-secrets on the example; on failure read the build and runtime logs.

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

## Tested examples

- **Rails pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/rails-patterns): Verified configuration and secrets on Rails.

## Success checks

- app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary rails patterns)
- configuration-secrets check from the example (`/p/configuration-secrets` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks)


## Cost estimate

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

Always-on monthly price of the tested sizes; apps auto-pause when idle. Buckets are allocation-priced per quota and not included.

## Verification evidence

- canary_run on 2026-09-20T21:55:28Z at revision `4f7cb9813c1f (CLI 4f7cb98)`: Rails pattern fixture deployed on Ample (bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via `rails server` reading PORT on the ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production); for this guide: an --env value delivered encrypted and reported as present without being echoed (secret=set). (expires 2027-03-19T21:55:28Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-20T21:55:28Z


## Execution binding

MCP tool `ample_deploy` (registry `mcp:ample_deploy`), schema hash `876465fce906da0c` observed 2026-09-22T00:31:22.774679+00:00 at revision `e6446ceea69b`, binding state `current`, required scopes: servers:write.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "properties": {
    "env": {
      "description": "Encrypted environment variables",
      "items": {
        "pattern": "^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*=.*$",
        "type": "string"
      },
      "maxItems": 50,
      "type": "array"
    },
    "name": {
      "description": "App name",
      "maxLength": 63,
      "minLength": 1,
      "pattern": "^[a-z0-9-]+$",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "path": {
      "description": "Project directory or ample.toml service",
      "maxLength": 512,
      "minLength": 1,
      "type": "string"
    },
    "release_command": {
      "description": "Migration command run before activation",
      "maxLength": 512,
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "env",
    "name",
    "path"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

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