directus

Directus is an open-source data platform and headless content management system that sits atop any SQL database. It exposes a dynamic API and provides an administrative interface, enabling teams to manage database data without writing backend code. The platform’s approach is database-first: data modeling is driven by the existing schema, and users define how data is stored and presented through the Directus Studio interface.

Key features include granular access control, a wide range of field types (text, number, boolean, date, file, image, relation, JSON, and more), and robust relationship management. Directus supports role-based permissions with fine-grained controls at the collection, field, and item levels. It also includes file management, media handling, activity logging, and workflow capabilities to support content governance and collaboration.

The service provides a RESTful API by default and can expose a GraphQL API. It offers an admin app called Directus Studio for content management and administrative tasks. The platform is extensible through hooks, endpoints, and extensions to customize behavior and the user interface. Developers can use available SDKs to build frontend applications that consume the API.

Deployment options cover self-hosted installations and cloud hosting. Directus supports major SQL databases such as MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. It is released under the MIT license and maintains an active open-source community with comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and a growing plugin ecosystem. Directus is commonly used to build internal portals, product catalogs, data collection apps, and other data-driven applications that require flexible data access without bespoke backend development.