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169 lines
8.6 KiB
Markdown
169 lines
8.6 KiB
Markdown
# Directus Docs
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> These Docs will help you get up-and-running quickly, guide you through advanced features, and explain the core
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> concepts that make Directus so unique.
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::: tip Version 9
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This is the documentation for the new **[Directus 9](https://github.com/directus/directus)** platform written in
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Node.js. If you are looking for the previous **[Directus 8](https://github.com/directus/v8-archive/releases/latest)**
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(PHP) docs, you can find them [here](https://v8.docs.directus.io).
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:::
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## What is Directus?
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**Directus is an Open Data Platform for managing the content of any SQL database. It provides a powerful API layer for
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developers and an intuitive App for non-technical users.** Written entirely in JavaScript (primarily
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[Node.js](https://nodejs.dev) and [Vue.js](https://vuejs.org)), Directus is completely open-source, modular, and
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extensible, allowing it to be fully tailored to the requirements of any project.
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The platform can be used as a headless content management, or for democratizing data (customer, inventory, business,
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project, etc) across an organization.
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::: tip What's in a name?
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"Directus" ([duh REKT iss](http://audio.pronouncekiwi.com/Salli/Directus)) is Latin for: _laid straight, arranged in
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lines_. The broadest goal of our platform is to present data in a simple, orderly, and intuitive way.
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:::
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## Database Mirroring
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**What makes Directus so unique is that it dynamically generates custom API endpoints based on your SQL database's
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schema in real-time — something we call "[Database Mirroring](/concepts/databases/#database-mirroring)".** Whether you
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install fresh or on top of an existing database, you always maintain end-to-end control over your actual database,
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including: tables, columns, datatypes, default values, indexes, relationships, etc.
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Below is an overview to how Directus mirrors the database, and our non-technical naming convention.
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- **[Project](/concepts/projects/)** — A Database (also includes asset storage and the config file)
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- **[Collection](/concepts/collections/)** — A Database Table
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- **[Fields](/concepts/fields/)** — A Database Column
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- **[Item](/concepts/items/)** — A Database Record/Row
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- **[Relationships](/concepts/relationships/)** — A Database Relationship, including additional non-standard types
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- **[Type](/concepts/types/)** — A Database Data Type, including additional non-standard types
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- **[Users](/concepts/users/)** — A Directus User (App or API), not to be confused with a Database User
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Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of _Database Mirroring_ is that you have direct access to your pure and unaltered
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data. That means you have the option to bypass the Directus middleware (API, SDK, App) and connect to your data with
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proper SQL queries. This effectively removes all bottlenecks, latency overhead, and proprietary access limitations.
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## Modular & Extensible
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What makes Directus so flexible is that it has been designed from the ground up with complete extensibility, helping
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avoid a feature ceiling. In addition to offering our software's codebase as open-source, we've included the following
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extension types in the platform's App and API.
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- **[Modules](/concepts/modules/)** — (App) The highest and broadest level of organization within the App
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- **[Layouts](/concepts/layouts/)** — (App) How you browse, view or interact with a set of Items in a Collection
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- **[Interfaces](/concepts/interfaces/)** — (App) How you view or interact with a field and its value
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- **[Displays](/concepts/displays/)** — (App) A small inline preview of a field's value
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- **[Panes](#)** — (App) A way to view dashboard data within the Insights Module
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- **[Styles](/guides/styles/)** — (App) Whitelabeling through App Themes and CSS Overrides
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- **[Endpoints](/guides/api-endpoints/)** — (API) Custom registered API endpoints
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- **[Hooks](/guides/api-hooks/)** — (API) Event and interval hooks for triggering custom logic
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- **[Email Templates](/guides/email-templates/)** — (API) Custom structure and formatting for emails
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## Core Principles
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Directus is a simple solution for complex problems, with a data-first approach guided by the following core principles:
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- **Pure** — There is no predefined model or proprietary rules for your schema, and all system settings are stored
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separately.
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- **Open** — Our entire codebase is public and transparent, allowing for end-to-end audits. Nothing is obfuscated or
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black-boxed.
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- **Portable** — Data is stored in your bespoke database and can be migrated/exported/backed-up at any time. Absolutely
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no vendor lock-in.
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- **Limitless** — Create unlimited users, roles, languages, collections, and items. No arbitrary restrictions or paywall
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limitations.
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- **Extensible** — Every aspect of the platform is modular, allowing you to adapt, customize, and infinitely extend the
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Core engine.
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- **Unopinionated** — Choose your database (all SQL vendors), API (REST or GraphQL), and infra (self-hosted or Cloud).
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## The Directus Ecosystem
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### Open-Source Core
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Our completely free and open-source (GPLv3) Open Data Platform. Directus includes our dynamic API engine (Node.js), the
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intuitive Admin App (Vue.js), this documentation (Markdown), and all dependencies.
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- **[GitHub Repository](https://github.com/directus/directus)**
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- **[npm Package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/directus)**
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- **[Docker Image](https://hub.docker.com/r/directus/directus)**
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### Documentation
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[Our documentation](https://docs.directus.io) describes the most recent version of our platform. They are written in
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publicly managed markdown files so the community can help keep them clean and up-to-date. The docs are divided into the
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following sections:
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- [Getting Started](/getting-started/introduction/) — Novice oriented, for a platform intro and installation.
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- [Concepts](/concepts/activity/) — Learning oriented, for understanding the platform.
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- [Guides](/guides/projects/) — Problem oriented, follow along with steps while working.
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- [Reference](/reference/command-line-interface/) — Information oriented, look up info and specs while working.
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- [API Reference](/reference/api/introduction/) — Information oriented, look up API resources while working.
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- [Contributing](/contributing/introduction/) — Contributor oriented — resources for working on Open-Source Core.
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::: tip Versioned Docs
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Specific version of the Docs ship with each install of Directus 9. They can be found within the
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[Documentation module](/concepts/application#documentation) of the App.
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:::
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### On-Demand Cloud
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[Our self-service platform](https://directus.cloud) for quick and affordable instances of Directus on a multitenant
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infrastructure. Each project includes automatic updates, automatic backups, .
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### Enterprise Cloud
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Our premium managed solution. Powered by dedicated hardware in your selected region, this service offers
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high-availability, custom limits, SSO, API white-labeling, uptime SLAs, and more.
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[Contact our sales team](https://directus.io/contact/) to discuss pricing and options.
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### Cloud Documentation
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[Cloud-Specific Docs](https://directus.cloud/docs) include guides for managing projects within our Cloud Dashboard.
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### Private Demos
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Our On-Demand Cloud platform includes ability to
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[create private demo instances](https://directus.cloud/docs#creating-a-private-demo). Each demo runs the latest version
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of Directus, lasts for several hours, and is completely free, with no credit card required.
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### System Status
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The [Status Page](https://status.directus.cloud) provides up-to-date information on our various systems, including
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current and historical incident details and our 30-day uptime percentage. From this site you can access the global
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status or your Cloud project's dedicated status page.
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### Website
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Our [marketing site](https://directus.io) provides general information, resources, and team info for the project.
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### Social
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For the latest product info and sneak-peeks, be sure to follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/directus).
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### Videos
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Our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/DirectusVideos) has video tutorials, release updates, feature overviews,
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and more.
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### Community
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Join our growing community of 4,000+ developers on [Discord](https://directus.chat) and Slack (legacy). From community
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support to seeing where the platform is heading next, it's a great way to get involved.
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### App Locales
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We use [Crowdin](https://locales.directus.io/) to manage our numerous App translations. If you're looking to add or
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improve Directus in your language, you can [learn more here](/contributing/translations/).
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### Marketplace
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Coming in 2021, the [Directus Marketplace](https://directus.market/) will offer a unified portal to extensions created
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by our Core Team and community contributors.
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