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Directus

Directus gives editors a browser interface for records in a SQL database and gives your site a way to read them. You choose how the records and editing permissions are organized.

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How do existing database records become editable pages?

Connect a supported database and organize related records in collections. A collection is a table of one kind of record, such as events. In Directus Studio, an editor can update the event’s date and select its location. Your site still needs code that reads those records and displays them.

How do you let the public read approved items only?

Public permissions start off. You can keep them off and let your site’s server read through a scoped account, or set a public rule that allows reading only approved records and selected fields. A rule that opens more fields or records can add to existing access, so check the effective policy.

If you need a separate draft of an already published record, enable Content Versioning for that collection. Give the editing team the required version permissions and keep version reads behind the authorized preview. For the site that visitors use, read the published item without the draft version.

What does it cost to run Directus?

The current Directus license offers a limited free self-hosted Core tier. You still pay for and operate the server, database and backups. On November 12, 2026, the Cloud Core card listed three Studio seats and 25 collections at US$99 per month or US$89 per month billed yearly.

The separate Open Innovation Grant covers qualifying individuals and small organizations on version 12 and later. The agreement uses annual gross revenue under US$5 million and fewer than 50 full- and part-time employees for small organizations. Individuals must own and control the projects they use it for. Cloud hosting still costs money under the grant.

What can you carry to another database or CMS?

Export selected item records as CSV or JSON. Take a separate schema snapshot if you need the definitions of tables, fields and relationships. Copy original files separately and keep a database backup if you need to restore the full project.

Check a linked record and a file in the destination before changing the public site. Moving the data structure alone will not bring the records, originals or working site templates.

Can you sketch the public rules before opening a collection?

Draw a published event, an unpublished event and a private organizer note on paper. Use no connected database or Directus project.

  1. Decide what a visitor can see
    Mark the published date and location as visible. Keep the unpublished event and organizer note out of the visitor’s view.
  2. Draw the editing boundary
    Give the editor a draft version of the published event. Keep its changed date in the authorized preview until the publisher approves it. Write which account can read each version.
  3. Separate the move pieces
    Draw a record export, a structure snapshot and a copy of the original event image. Check that the event still points to the correct venue and file in the destination sketch.