Directus hosting for your data and content
Directus wraps a SQL database in instant REST and GraphQL APIs and a no-code app, so editors manage content and data while developers keep full control of the schema. Run it with Docker on a HyperDC VPS with PostgreSQL and Redis, preinstalled as an app option or installed with our guide.
- Instant REST and GraphQL APIs for your database
- No-code app for editors, with roles and flows
- PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite and more
- Official Docker image with Redis for caching
- Install
- Docker image directus/directus
- Stack
- Node.js · PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite and more · Redis
- Default portServe Directus through a reverse proxy with a certificate and set PUBLIC_URL to the final address; links and sign-in redirects depend on it.
- 8055, behind HTTPS
- Minimum
- 512 MB RAM; 1 vCPU and 2 GB recommended
- Official docs
- directus.com/docs
- Current release
- Directus 12.5 (October 2026)
Features
- REST API
- GraphQL
- Data Studio
- Flows
- Roles and permissions
- File library
- Dashboards
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Docker
Facts from the project’s official website, documentation and repository, checked in October 2026.
Directus plans are being prepared
Tell us what your project stores and how many people edit it, and our team will reply with the right server. Or start today on a Linux VPS and install Directus with our guide.
How big a server does Directus need?
Directus publishes a minimum and a recommended size per instance. The database and Redis run next to it.
| Feature |
Small project
One app and a few editors
|
Recommended Production
A busy API with Redis caching
|
Scaled
Several instances behind a load balancer
|
|---|---|---|---|
| vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server. | 1 | 2 | 4+ |
| MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system. | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB+ |
| DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups. | 20 GB | 40 GB | 80 GB+ |
| RedisOptional for one instance, recommended for caching and required when several instances share the work. | Optional | Recommended | Required |
-
Small project
One app and a few editors
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 1
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 2 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 20 GB
- RedisOptional for one instance, recommended for caching and required when several instances share the work.
- Optional
-
Recommended
Production
A busy API with Redis caching
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 2
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 4 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 40 GB
- RedisOptional for one instance, recommended for caching and required when several instances share the work.
- Recommended
-
Scaled
Several instances behind a load balancer
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 4+
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 8 GB+
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 80 GB+
- RedisOptional for one instance, recommended for caching and required when several instances share the work.
- Required
Directus lists 0.25 vCPU and 512 MB of RAM as its minimum and recommends at least 1 vCPU and 2 GB per instance. These sizes include the database on the same server.
Your database, with an API and an app on top
Directus does not lock your data into its own format: it works on plain SQL tables you can query with any tool.
Database first
Point Directus at a new or existing SQL database; it reads the schema and builds the API and the app around it.
REST, GraphQL and SDK
Every collection gets REST and GraphQL endpoints at once, with a JavaScript SDK and real-time updates over WebSockets.
Flows for automation
Trigger webhooks, emails and data changes when items change, on a schedule or from a button in the app.
Root access, your rules
Every Linux VPS, VDS and dedicated server comes with full root access: you choose the versions, the add-ons and the security settings.
Backups included
Free weekly and monthly backups come with every VPS and VDS plan. For data that changes every day, keep copies of your own as well.
Staging next to production
Run a copy of the site on a second subdomain to test updates, themes and extensions before they reach your visitors.
Locations on three continents
Run your server in the United States, Europe or Asia, close to the people who use it. The order form estimates the latency from where you are to each location.
Preinstalled or with our guide
Choose the app as an option when you order and it is installed for you, or set it up yourself with our step-by-step guide.
Launch Directus in four steps
Order the app preinstalled on your server, or install it yourself with our guide.
-
Choose your server
Pick a VPS, VDS or dedicated server in the size from the table above and the location closest to your users.
-
Install Directus
Choose Directus as an app option, or run the directus/directus image with PostgreSQL and Redis in Docker Compose, with a pinned version, as in our guide.
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Add your domain and TLS
Point a subdomain such as app.example.com at the server’s IP address and serve the app over HTTPS with a free Let’s Encrypt certificate.
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Sign in and model your data
Sign in with the admin email and password you set in the environment, then create collections or connect your existing tables.
Step-by-step setup guides
Install, secure and update the app with our guides, written for current Ubuntu and Debian releases.
-
How to install Directus with Docker Compose, PostgreSQL and HTTPS
Run Directus from the official Docker image with PostgreSQL and Redis, keep it on localhost behind Caddy HTTPS, secure the first admin, and back up and update it safely.
30 min Intermediate -
Docker Compose basics: run multi-container apps on a Linux server
Write a compose.yaml with services, volumes and networks, keep secrets in .env, start services in the right order with healthchecks, then update, back up and run several stacks side by side.
35 min Beginner
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Frequently asked questions
What makes Directus different from other headless CMSs?
Directus is database first: it builds its APIs and app on top of ordinary SQL tables instead of its own content format. You can connect an existing database, query it with any tool and keep using it if you ever stop using Directus.
How do I update Directus?
Pin the image to a version in your Compose file, read the release notes and breaking changes, and back up the database and the uploads folder. Then change the version and restart; Directus applies its database migrations when it starts.
Which databases does Directus support?
PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, CockroachDB and OracleDB, in their LTS versions. PostgreSQL is the usual choice; the official Compose example uses PostgreSQL with PostGIS and Redis.
Why does PUBLIC_URL matter?
Directus uses it for links in emails and for sign-in redirects. Set it to the final https address before you go live, and update it if the address ever changes.
What changed in Directus 12?
IP_TRUST_PROXY now defaults to false and /server/health requires authentication; use /server/ping for simple checks. Read the breaking changes before you upgrade from version 11.
Do I need Redis?
A single instance runs without it, but Redis is recommended for caching and rate limiting, and it is required when several Directus instances share the work behind a load balancer.
Ready to put an API on your data?
Tell us what you want to run and for how many people, and we will help you pick the right server.