Best practices for deploying a Next.js SaaS app with PostgreSQL on DigitalOcean App Platform?

I’m building a property management SaaS platform called UnitHub using Next.js, PostgreSQL, and Prisma ORM. We’re currently evaluating DigitalOcean App Platform for deployment.

I have a few questions about best practices:

1. Database connections: What’s the recommended way to handle PostgreSQL connection pooling with Prisma on App Platform? Should I use PgBouncer or rely on Prisma’s built-in connection management?

2. Environment variables: Is there a recommended approach for managing secrets and environment variables across staging and production environments on App Platform?

3. Static assets and file uploads: We handle property images and documents. Should I use DigitalOcean Spaces for object storage, or is there a better approach for handling file uploads in a Next.js app on App Platform?

4. Auto-scaling: How well does App Platform handle traffic spikes? Our platform sees higher usage during business hours and we want to ensure tenants can always access their dashboards.

Any advice from folks who have deployed similar SaaS applications on DigitalOcean would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!