Directus

What it is

Directus is a data platform that sits on top of any SQL database. It introspects your schema, generates an admin panel, a REST API, and a GraphQL API, and gives you real-time subscriptions over WebSocket. Unlike other headless CMSes, you own the database schema — Directus never modifies it without your permission.

Why we recommend it

It is the only open source tool that works with your existing database. If you already have a Postgres or MySQL instance with your schema, Directus can wrap it in an admin UI and API in 5 minutes. It is also the cleanest path to building internal tools — you point it at your DB, it gives you a CRUD interface for free.

When to use it

• Building internal admin tools on top of an existing database
• Companies that want a headless CMS but already have a SQL schema they care about
• Ops dashboards (Directus + a charting library = a free Retool)
• Multi-team data platforms where different teams need different views of the same DB