---
title: "Host admin dashboard with Django: private documents"
description: "Deploy a admin dashboard built with Django on Ample using the private document library pattern."
canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/recipes/admin-dashboard/django/private-documents"
last_updated: "2026-09-20"
---

# Host admin dashboard with Django: private documents

Canonical URL: https://ample.computer/recipes/admin-dashboard/django/private-documents
Formats: [HTML](https://ample.computer/recipes/admin-dashboard/django/private-documents) | [Markdown](https://ample.computer/recipes/admin-dashboard/django/private-documents.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Arecipes%3Aadmin-dashboard%3Adjango%3Aprivate-documents)
Recipe ID: `page:recipes:admin-dashboard:django:private-documents` | Revision: `r1` | Catalog revision: `cat_f13ab9a494120b5e`

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

## Summary

Deploy a admin dashboard built with Django on Ample using the private document library 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, a private S3-compatible bucket holds objects with credentials delivered as encrypted environment variables. Verified on Django: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Not separately tested: your identity integration and role assignments; treat the admin dashboard-specific behavior as your application code.

Path: [Agent hosting discovery](/discover/discovery) / [Applications and workloads](/discover/workload) / [Portals and communities](/discover/workload/portals-and-communities) / [Admin dashboard](/discover/workload/admin-dashboard) / [Host admin dashboard with Django: private documents](/recipes/admin-dashboard/django/private-documents)

## 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.)
- [S3-compatible object storage](/discover/primitive/s3-compatible-object-storage): verified (Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.)

## Prerequisites

- A Django project that builds and starts with the documented commands (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress serving project.wsgi from run.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime (auto-provisioned when omitted, or supplied with --env)
- A bucket from `ample bucket create` with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
- An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read

## Exact tested configuration

- template: `python-3.12`
- runtime: `python`
- size: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- install: `python3 -m pip install --target .ample/python -r requirements.txt`
- start: `PYTHONPATH=.ample/python:${PYTHONPATH:-} python3 run.py`

## Steps

1. **Build and start.** pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress serving project.wsgi from run.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template. The server must bind 0.0.0.0 on PORT.
2. **Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL.** The fixture's module implements private document library: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Copy the approach into your schema; keep migrations idempotent and run them with --release-command.
3. **Wire object storage.** Create the bucket(s), then pass endpoint, region, bucket and keys as --env values. Use path-style addressing. Keep private data in an unpublished bucket.
4. **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 --start "python3 run.py" --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...
   ```
5. **Verify.** Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/private-document-library) 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

- **Django pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/django-patterns): Multi-pattern Django app whose private document library 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 django patterns)
- private-document-library self-test (`/p/private-document-library` on the live URL, expect private=ok (with ?role=owner; 401 without, 403 for viewer))


## 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

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 2026-09-20T03:31:44Z at revision `03b6402b1b3e19178985f08ea4033804521d85d4 (CLI b75e104)`: Django pattern fixture deployed on Ample (pip install into .ample/python from requirements.txt, then waitress serving project.wsgi from run.py reading PORT on the python-3.12 template); checks passed for private-document-library and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). (expires 2027-03-19T03:31:44Z)
- canary_run on 2026-09-20T01:54:51Z at revision `199ff1dfd52683832ae75d3f98b53a7a4bff7f96 (CLI e3181f5)`: The same Django app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation. (expires 2027-03-19T01:54:51Z)

Last verified: 2026-09-20T03:31:44Z


## 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, databases:read, buckets:read.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "properties": {
    "env": {
      "description": "Encrypted environment variables (bucket credentials, secrets)",
      "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"
    },
    "start": {
      "description": "Start command (Python apps pass one explicitly)",
      "maxLength": 512,
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "env",
    "name",
    "path",
    "start"
  ],
  "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 Admin dashboard (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/workload%3Aadmin-dashboard on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
- Browse Django (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/stack%3Aframework-django on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
- Browse Private document library (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Aprivate-document-library on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)
- Browse Deploy web app (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/intent%3Adeploy-web-app on the api origin; auth: false, approval: false)

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