--- title: "How to move a Rails app from DigitalOcean Droplet to Ample" description: "Move Rails compute from DigitalOcean Droplet app to Ample, one component at a time." canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/migrate/digitalocean-droplet-app/rails" last_updated: "2026-11-06" --- # How to move a Rails app from DigitalOcean Droplet to Ample Move Rails compute from DigitalOcean Droplet app to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered. Source procedure: Collect the process environment from the droplet (systemd unit, PM2 or supervisor config) into an env file kept out of the repository. Move separately: cron jobs become `ample job` schedules, local upload directories move to a bucket and data to a managed database; Ample handles firewalling. Cutover: Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, update DNS from the droplet IP, keep the droplet until verified, then power it off. Rollback: keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide. ## Infrastructure requirements - [Compute](/discover/primitive/compute): verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs; sizes are the priced VM sizes.) - [Postgres](/discover/primitive/postgres): verified (Managed PostgreSQL 16 with pgvector runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.) ## Prerequisites - Authorized access to the DigitalOcean Droplet app source and its export tooling - An inventory of every component in scope and out of scope - A validated backup or copy before any cutover - An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read ## 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. **Inventory the source.** List what DigitalOcean Droplet app provides beyond the component you are moving. Plan these separately: cron jobs become `ample job` schedules, local upload directories move to a bucket and data to a managed database; Ample handles firewalling. 2. **Source step 1.** Collect the process environment from the droplet (systemd unit, PM2 or supervisor config) into an env file kept out of the repository 3. **Source step 2.** Replace the droplet's process manager and reverse proxy with the repository's start command; Ample provides HTTPS and supervision 4. **Source step 3.** Inventory what else runs on the droplet: databases, cron, local uploads 5. **Deploy on Ample in parallel.** 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. Pass the exported variables with --env; keep the source running. ``` ample deploy . --name --public --env-file .env.production ``` 6. **Validate before cutover.** Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums; the example checks are the pattern self-tests (/p/configuration-secrets, /p/relational-records). 7. **Cut over.** Add the custom domain with `ample domain add`, update DNS from the droplet IP, keep the droplet until verified, then power it off. 8. **Rollback.** Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation. ## Tested examples - **Rails pattern fixture (destination)** (tests/deploy-canaries/rails-patterns): Verified destination basis: Rails compute. ## Success checks - destination app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary rails patterns) - configuration-secrets check from the destination example (`/p/configuration-secrets` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks) - relational-records check from the destination example (`/p/relational-records` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks) - data or object counts and checksums match the source ## Cost estimate Estimated 10.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision 4558e9477d094f5b47da324b98672824b61ba91b). - app server x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD - managed PostgreSQL database x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD Upper-bound monthly price of the tested sizes at the destination. ## Verification evidence - canary_run on 2026-11-06T00:41:08Z at revision `7360fc06ef21`: Destination side verified: the 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) and its checks passed (the app built, started and answered on its public HTTPS URL with encrypted configuration delivered). The source-side export from DigitalOcean Droplet app uses the vendor's standard tooling. (expires 2027-05-05T00:41:08Z) Last verified: 2026-11-06T00:41:08Z ## Execution binding A step-by-step guide: follow it with your agent and deploy with `ample plan` and `ample deploy`. ## 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 DigitalOcean Droplet app (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/migration%3Adigitalocean-droplet-app on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false) - Browse Rails (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-rails on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false) - Browse Migrate compute (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Amigrate-compute on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false) Actions describe possible next steps. They are typed data, not commands, and grant no permission. ## About this recipe Canonical URL: https://ample.computer/migrate/digitalocean-droplet-app/rails Formats: [HTML](https://ample.computer/migrate/digitalocean-droplet-app/rails) | [Markdown](https://ample.computer/migrate/digitalocean-droplet-app/rails.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Amigrate%3Adigitalocean-droplet-app%3Arails) Recipe ID: `page:migrate:digitalocean-droplet-app:rails` | Revision: `r1` | Catalog revision: `cat_eac8c53f36410baa` Status: verified; a step-by-step guide you follow with `ample deploy` (support `verified`, execution `unbound`) Path: [Agent hosting discovery](/discover/discovery) / [Migration sources by component](/discover/migration) / [Compute sources](/discover/migration/compute-sources) / [DigitalOcean Droplet app](/discover/migration/digitalocean-droplet-app) / [Migrate DigitalOcean Droplet app: Rails](/migrate/digitalocean-droplet-app/rails)