Context Pack: Directus

Load this pack for any task involving Directus CMS integration.

Purpose

Reference for Directus CMS configuration, collections, and integration patterns.

Prerequisites

• Directus instance running (local Docker or cloud)
• Admin token for write operations

Connection

Environment	URL	Auth
Local	http://localhost:8055	Admin token in .env
Cloud	Via environment variable	Admin token in Secret Manager

Role in Architecture

Directus serves as the headless CMS layer:

• Manages structured content (collections, fields, relations)
• Provides REST + GraphQL APIs out of the box
• Handles authentication and permissions
• Flows engine for automation (NO custom code needed)
• File storage and asset management

Key Principle: Use Directus Built-in First

Before writing custom code, check if Directus provides:

• Flows — Automation, webhooks, scheduled tasks
• Permissions — Role-based access control
• API — REST/GraphQL endpoints for any collection
• Webhooks — Event notifications
• Extensions — Only if built-in features are insufficient

Collections (Key)

Directus collections contain structured data. The exact schema depends on the current Directus instance configuration. Common patterns:

• Content collections for web pages
• Configuration collections for app settings
• Relationship collections linking entities

SDK Usage in Nuxt

// Using Directus SDK in Nuxt composable
import { createDirectus, rest, readItems } from '@directus/sdk';

const directus = createDirectus('http://localhost:8055').with(rest());

// Fetch items from a collection
const items = await directus.request(readItems('collection_name'));

Flows (Automation)

Directus Flows replace custom backend logic:

• Trigger: On item create/update/delete, schedule, webhook
• Operations: Send email, run script, call API, transform data
• Use Flows instead of writing Cloud Functions when possible

Integration with Agent Data

• Directus manages structured content
• Agent Data manages unstructured knowledge (docs, RAG)
• Frontend queries both: Directus for structured data, Agent Data for knowledge search
• No duplication — each system owns its domain

Common Mistakes

1. Writing a custom API when Directus REST API already exposes the collection
2. Building auth from scratch — Directus has built-in auth with roles
3. Creating Cloud Functions for CRUD — use Directus Flows instead
4. Manually managing file uploads — Directus has file storage built in

Admin Operations

# Access admin panel
open http://localhost:8055/admin

# API examples
curl http://localhost:8055/items/collection_name \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

Related Documents

• docs/context-packs/web-frontend.md — Frontend integration patterns
• docs/context-packs/governance.md — No-code-new principle