What is Directus used for?

Directus is a self-hostable data platform that wraps any SQL database with instant REST and GraphQL APIs, a no-code admin app, authentication and an MCP server. It is a good fit for headless CMS over an existing database, custom admin panels for operations teams and giving AI tools governed access to business data.

Is Directus open source?

Yes. Directus is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at directus/directus and is written mainly in TypeScript.

Yes. Directus is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $599 per month.

Can I self-host Directus?

Yes. Directus can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is Directus an alternative to?

Directus is an open-source alternative to Contentstack, Hygraph, Storyblok and Contentful. Other open-source alternatives to Contentstack include Strapi, Payload and Webiny.

Is Directus actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Directus was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v12.4.1, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 38k stars on GitHub.

Directus: open-source alternative to Contentstack, Hygraph

About Directus

Directus is a collaborative backend and headless CMS that sits on top of an existing SQL database. You connect a database, and it generates production-ready REST and GraphQL APIs, leaving your schema exactly as built, along with a no-code interface where non-developers can manage content and data.

Beyond content management it provides authentication and access control, so the same install can power websites, apps, admin panels and internal tools. A native Model Context Protocol server gives AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor secure access to business data. Supported databases include SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQL Server, and the app is built with TypeScript and Vue. A template CLI, run through npx, can initialize a project quickly.

Directus can be self-hosted on servers you control, or run on the vendor's Directus Cloud. The repository license is listed as 'Other', so review the terms to see which uses are free. It suits teams that want an API and admin layer over data they already have, without writing a custom backend.

Key features

Instant REST and GraphQL APIs over any SQL database
No-code data and content interface
Authentication and role-based access
Native MCP server for AI assistants
Works with SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQL Server
Project templates via npx CLI

Good fit for

→Headless CMS over an existing database
→Custom admin panels for operations teams
→Giving AI tools governed access to business data

Built with: TypeScript; GraphQL; Vue; SQLite; MySQL; PostgreSQL; JavaScript
Tags: headless-cms; backend; rest-api; graphql; database; mcp; self-hosted; admin-panel; low-code

Directus: questions and answers

What is Directus used for?: Directus is a self-hostable data platform that wraps any SQL database with instant REST and GraphQL APIs, a no-code admin app, authentication and an MCP server. It is a good fit for headless CMS over an existing database, custom admin panels for operations teams and giving AI tools governed access to business data.
Is Directus open source?: Yes. Directus is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at directus/directus and is written mainly in TypeScript.
Is Directus free?: Yes. Directus is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $599 per month.
Can I self-host Directus?: Yes. Directus can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is Directus an alternative to?: Directus is an open-source alternative to Contentstack, Hygraph, Storyblok and Contentful. Other open-source alternatives to Contentstack include Strapi, Payload and Webiny.
Is Directus actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Directus was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v12.4.1, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 38k stars on GitHub.