---
title: "Host documentation site with Rails: public-site delivery"
description: "Deploy a documentation site built with Rails on Ample using the public web service pattern."
canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/recipes/documentation-site/rails/public-site"
last_updated: "2026-09-20"
---

# Host documentation site with Rails: public-site delivery

Canonical URL: https://ample.computer/recipes/documentation-site/rails/public-site
Formats: [HTML](https://ample.computer/recipes/documentation-site/rails/public-site) | [Markdown](https://ample.computer/recipes/documentation-site/rails/public-site.md) | [JSON contract](https://api.ample.computer/v1/catalog/recipes/page%3Arecipes%3Adocumentation-site%3Arails%3Apublic-site)
Recipe ID: `page:recipes:documentation-site:rails:public-site` | Revision: `r1` | Catalog revision: `cat_f13ab9a494120b5e`

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

## Summary

Deploy a documentation site built with Rails on Ample using the public web service pattern. Compute runs the app in an isolated microVM behind a public HTTPS URL, and a published bucket serves public assets from the CDN host. Verified on Rails: a versioned, immutable-cached asset uploaded to a published bucket and served from the CDN URL alongside the app's own public HTTPS URL. Not separately tested: your site content and build; treat the documentation site-specific behavior as your application code.

Path: [Agent hosting discovery](/discover/discovery) / [Applications and workloads](/discover/workload) / [Sites and content](/discover/workload/sites-and-content) / [Documentation site](/discover/workload/documentation-site) / [Host documentation site with Rails: public-site delivery](/recipes/documentation-site/rails/public-site)

## 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.)
- [CDN](/discover/primitive/cdn): verified (The CDN host serves objects from published buckets. It does not front app compute and is not a cache or key-value store.)

## Prerequisites

- A Rails project that builds and starts with the documented commands (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)
- A bucket from `ample bucket create` with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
- An Ample account token with servers:write, buckets: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. **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. **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. Publish only the bucket that serves public assets and reference its CDN URL.
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 --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=... --env CDN_PUBLIC_URL=...
   ```
4. **Verify.** Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/versioned-static-assets) 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

- **Rails pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/rails-patterns): Multi-pattern Rails app whose public web service 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 rails patterns)
- versioned-static-assets self-test (`/p/versioned-static-assets` on the live URL, expect a CDN URL whose content is served publicly)


## 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 and databases 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); checks passed for versioned-static-assets and configuration-secrets. Pattern proof: a versioned, immutable-cached asset uploaded to a published bucket and served from the CDN URL alongside the app's own public HTTPS URL. (expires 2027-03-19T21:55:28Z)
- canary_run on 2026-09-20T21:55:28Z at revision `4f7cb9813c1f (CLI 4f7cb98)`: The same Rails app deployed with a --release-command migration; the marker it created was readable after activation. (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, 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"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "env",
    "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 Documentation site (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/workload%3Adocumentation-site 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 Public web service (GET /v1/catalog/nodes/pattern%3Apublic-web-service 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)

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