Directus: The Headless CMS That Gives You Full Control

WordPress powers a huge portion of the web, but its monolithic architecture is not always the right fit. For projects that need a custom frontend, multi-channel content delivery, or an API-first approach, a headless CMS is the answer. Directus is unique among headless CMS platforms because it does not force you into a proprietary data model: it wraps your existing SQL database with APIs and a visual interface.

Your Database, Your Rules

Directus connects to any SQL database: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MS SQL, Oracle, or CockroachDB: and instantly generates REST and GraphQL APIs from the existing schema. A visual Studio lets non-technical teammates manage content, while developers work directly with the database using their preferred tools. There is no vendor lock-in because your data stays in your database.

Directus also includes a built-in AI Assistant that can create, translate, and manage content, plus a native MCP server that lets AI coding agents like Claude and Cursor connect directly to your data with the same role-based permissions as human users.

Practical Applications

A real estate agency could use Directus to manage property listings, with agents updating availability through the Studio and the website consuming the REST API. An e-commerce business could connect Directus to a product database and power both a web storefront and a mobile app from the same backend. A non-profit could manage donor records and program data with granular field-level permissions for volunteers versus administrators.

With 37,000 GitHub stars and over 45 million downloads, Directus is a mature, well-supported platform. VPS1 deploys and configures Directus for businesses moving beyond traditional CMS platforms. See our Directus software page for details.