# Directus — Open Source Backend & Headless CMS for Any Database

> Directus wraps any SQL database with instant REST & GraphQL APIs, an admin app, auth, file storage, and automation — no migration or proprietary schema needed.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

```bash
npx create-directus-project@latest my-project
cd my-project
npx directus start
```

Open `http://localhost:8055` — login with your admin credentials and start managing your data.

## Intro

**Directus** is an open-source data platform that wraps any SQL database with instant REST & GraphQL APIs, an intuitive admin app, authentication, file storage, and workflow automation. Unlike traditional CMS platforms that require a specific database schema, Directus works with your existing database — no migration needed, no proprietary tables, no vendor lock-in.

With 34.7K+ GitHub stars, Directus is a unique "Database-first" platform: you design your database schema as you normally would (or connect an existing one), and Directus automatically generates APIs, admin interfaces, and access controls on top of it.

## What Directus Does

Directus provides a complete backend toolkit:

- **Instant APIs**: REST and GraphQL APIs auto-generated from your database schema
- **Admin App**: No-code admin panel for content management, built with Vue.js
- **Authentication**: Email/password, SSO (OAuth 2.0, OpenID, LDAP, SAML), and API tokens
- **Access Control**: Granular role-based permissions at collection, field, and record level
- **File Storage**: Asset management with transforms (resize, crop) and CDN support
- **Flows (Automation)**: Visual workflow builder for triggers, conditions, and actions
- **Webhooks**: Real-time notifications on data changes
- **Insights**: Built-in analytics dashboard builder with charts and metrics

## Architecture

```
┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│  Admin App   │────▶│  Directus    │────▶│  Your SQL DB │
│  (Vue.js)    │     │  Server      │     │  (Postgres / │
│              │     │  (Node.js)   │     │  MySQL / etc)│
└──────────────┘     └──────┬───────┘     └──────────────┘
                            │
│  Your Frontend │───▶ REST / GraphQL API
│  (Any framework)│
```

## Self-Hosting

### Docker Compose

```yaml
services:
  directus:
    image: directus/directus:latest
    ports:
      - "8055:8055"
    environment:
      SECRET: your-random-secret-key
      DB_CLIENT: pg
      DB_HOST: postgres
      DB_PORT: 5432
      DB_DATABASE: directus
      DB_USER: directus
      DB_PASSWORD: directus
      ADMIN_EMAIL: admin@example.com
      ADMIN_PASSWORD: your-admin-password
    depends_on:
      - postgres

  postgres:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: directus
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: directus
      POSTGRES_DB: directus
    volumes:
      - pg-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

volumes:
  pg-data:
```

## Key Features

### Database-First Approach

Directus never modifies your database schema:

```sql
-- Your existing database tables work as-is
CREATE TABLE products (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(255),
    price DECIMAL(10,2),
    category_id INTEGER REFERENCES categories(id),
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);

-- Directus automatically provides:
-- REST: GET /items/products
-- GraphQL: query { products { id name price } }
-- Admin UI with forms, filters, and relations
```

### Supported Databases

| Database | Status |
|----------|--------|
| PostgreSQL | Full support |
| MySQL / MariaDB | Full support |
| SQLite | Full support |
| MS SQL Server | Full support |
| CockroachDB | Community |
| OracleDB | Community |

### Flows (Visual Automation)

Build automations without code:

```
Trigger: Item Created in "orders"
  → Condition: order.total > 1000
    → Action: Send Email to sales team
    → Action: Create record in "high_value_orders"
    → Action: Call webhook to fulfillment API
```

### Extensions System

Directus is fully extensible:

```typescript
// Custom endpoint extension
export default {
  id: 'custom-reports',
  handler: (router, context) => {
    router.get('/sales-report', async (req, res) => {
      const { ItemsService } = context.services;
      const orders = new ItemsService('orders', { schema: req.schema });
      const data = await orders.readByQuery({ aggregate: { sum: ['total'] } });
      res.json(data);
    });
  },
};
```

Extension types:
- **Interfaces**: Custom input components
- **Displays**: Custom value renderers
- **Layouts**: Custom collection views
- **Modules**: Full custom pages
- **Endpoints**: Custom API routes
- **Hooks**: Event-driven logic

## Directus vs Alternatives

| Feature | Directus | Strapi | Payload | Hasura |
|---------|----------|--------|---------|--------|
| Open Source | Yes | Yes | Yes (MIT) | Yes (Apache) |
| Approach | Database-first | CMS-first | Code-first | Database-first |
| Existing DB | Connect any SQL | Own schema | Own schema | Connect PostgreSQL |
| APIs | REST + GraphQL | REST + GraphQL | REST + GraphQL | GraphQL only |
| Admin UI | Built-in (Vue) | Built-in (React) | Built-in (React) | Console |
| Automation | Visual Flows | Webhooks | Hooks | Event triggers |
| No-code | Extensive | Moderate | Minimal | Moderate |

## FAQ

**Q: Will Directus modify my existing database?**
A: It won't modify your business tables. Directus only creates its own system tables (prefixed with directus_) for configuration, permissions, and metadata. Your business data tables stay untouched.

**Q: Is it suitable for traditional CMS websites?**
A: Very much so. Directus works as a headless CMS paired with Next.js, Nuxt.js, Gatsby, and other frontends. Built-in asset management, multi-language support, and versioning are all CMS essentials.

**Q: Directus or Strapi?**
A: If you have an existing database to connect to, choose Directus (database-first). If you're building a content model from scratch, either works. Directus has stronger no-code capabilities; Strapi has a larger developer ecosystem.

## Source & Thanks

- GitHub: [directus/directus](https://github.com/directus/directus) — 34.7K+ ⭐
- Website: [directus.io](https://directus.io)

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/directus-open-source-backend-headless-cms-any-database-f431a500
Author: AI Open Source