# Directus Backend and Studio over any SQL database with a built-in MCP server; source-available, free under revenue caps. Directus wraps a SQL database with REST and GraphQL APIs, a visual Studio for non-technical editors, flows for automation, and policy-based access control. Since v11.12 it includes a native MCP server switched on in Settings > AI, so an agent can manage items, collections, fields, relations, files, and flows under the same permissions as a human user. Configured entirely by env vars. Licensed MSCL 1.0, free for organizations under $5M revenue and 50 staff. Alternative to: Contentful, Airtable - Capabilities: adaptable, operable - Vertical: content-publishing - Shape: business-app - Form factor: web-app - Execution model: hybrid - Provenance: human-written (recorded, never ranked) - Repo: https://github.com/directus/directus (MSCL-1.0 (source-available; GitHub NOASSERTION)), 37684 stars, last commit 2026-09-02 - Last activity: 2026-09-02 - Page: apps/directus--directus.html - JSON: apps/directus--directus.json ## Use it when - I have a database already and want an admin UI and API on top that my agent can also write to - I want editors in a Studio and an agent creating collections and content under the same permission rules ## Gotchas - MSCL 1.0 is source-available, not OSI open source; organizations over $5M revenue or 50 employees need a commercial license - Free Core tier caps at 3 seats, 25 collections, and 5 flows unless you apply for the Open Innovation Grant - Remote MCP requires v11.12+; older versions fall back to a Node.js MCP server - Create a dedicated MCP user and token rather than using an admin token - 398 open issues; large surface, expect upgrade notes between releases ## Editions - Core (self-hosted): Free, closed source - source: https://github.com/directus/directus - container: https://directus.com/docs/self-hosting - one-click: https://railway.com/deploy/directus-official - Open Innovation Grant (self-hosted): Free, closed source - hosted: https://directus.com/oig - Team: $499 per month, closed source - hosted: https://directus.com/pricing - Enterprise: Free, closed source - Directus Cloud hosting add-on: $99 per month, closed source - hosted: https://directus.cloud ## Adaptable: make it yours Effort: config-only (18 things to edit), surface kind admin-ui The env surface (.env or CONFIG_PATH: KEY, SECRET, DB_*, PUBLIC_URL, ADMIN_*, storage, LICENSE_*) is deployment configuration; business adaptation lives in the Studio admin UI: Settings > Data Model, Flows, Access Policies and Roles, and Project Settings for branding. Custom email templates need EMAIL_TEMPLATES_PATH plus Liquid files, and anything beyond that is code in extensions/. - Env vars: KEY, SECRET, DB_CLIENT, DB_CONNECTION_STRING, HOST, PORT, PUBLIC_URL, SERVE_APP, ADMIN_EMAIL, ADMIN_PASSWORD, ADMIN_TOKEN, CONFIG_PATH, LICENSE_KEY, LICENSE_TOKEN, EMAIL_TEMPLATES_PATH - Config files: .env, docker-compose.yml, extensions/ - Prompt files: none - Accounts you'll need: Directus (license key for Open Innovation Grant or commercial tiers); OpenAI, Anthropic, or Gemini (optional AI Assistant) ## Operable: what an agent can drive Operability: official. Interface: mcp at https://directus.com/docs/guides/ai/mcp (published by the builder, both). ### Reach (partial coverage) - Create, read, update, and delete items: reachable. MCP docs: items create, edit, manage - Build collections: reachable. MCP docs: build and configure collections - Define fields and validation: reachable. MCP docs: field types and validation rules - Model relations: reachable. MCP docs: M2O, O2M, M2M, M2A relationships - Manage file metadata and folders: reachable. MCP docs: alt text, descriptions, tags, folder organization - Create automation flows: reachable. MCP docs: generate flows triggered by database events - Upload binary files: undetermined. metadata management documented; binary upload over MCP not stated - Manage users, roles, and policies: undetermined. MCP respects permissions; managing them is not listed - Translate content: undetermined. AI Assistant runs translations in Studio; MCP tool not listed - Build Studio dashboards and insights: not reachable. Studio UI feature; no MCP tool ## Code stack - Languages: TypeScript - Frameworks: Node.js, Vue - Package manager: pnpm - Database: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MS SQL, SQLite, OracleDB, CockroachDB - Hosting target: Docker, Railway one-click, Directus Cloud ## Model stack - Providers: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini (AI Assistant, optional) - Models: none - Keys you need (names only): none - Prompts live in: none - Tools: none ## Evidence and confidence - formFactor: README: API layer plus visual Studio, self-host or cloud (confidence 0.95) - executionModel: core is deterministic; README: embedded AI Assistant creates, translates, and takes actions with OpenAI, Anthropic, or Gemini (confidence 0.7) - operability: README and directus.com/docs/guides/ai/mcp: native MCP server enabled in Settings > AI with a token, published by Directus (confidence 0.9) - effort: directus.com/docs/configuration/general: env vars in .env through CONFIG_PATH; triage confirmed extensive documented env surface (confidence 0.85) - editions: directus.com/pricing: Core free with caps, OIG free under thresholds, Team $499 per month annual, Enterprise custom, Cloud $99 per month add-on (confidence 0.8) - active: pushedAt 2026-09-02 - provenance: Monospace-built since 2004 lineage; no vibe-coded claim (confidence 0.9) - reach: (confidence 0.75) ## Open questions - Full MCP tool names (docs page describes capabilities without listing tool names) - Does the Core tier's 25-collection cap apply to collections created over MCP? - Confirm DB_CLIENT and DB_CONNECTION_STRING names on the database configuration page (general page fetched only) ## Sources - https://github.com/directus/directus (sourcing:content-publishing:vendor) - https://directus.com/docs/guides/ai/mcp (analysis:content-publishing) - https://directus.com/docs/configuration/general (analysis:content-publishing) - https://directus.com/pricing (analysis:content-publishing)