Directus
Directus is a free and open-source headless CMS framework for managing custom SQL-based databases.
What detecting Directus tells you about a site
Directus is an open-source headless CMS and data platform that wraps an existing SQL database in an instant REST and GraphQL API plus an admin app. Because it is self-hosted, the tells are path-based rather than vendor-CDN: an /admin Directus dashboard, asset URLs under an /assets/<uuid> route, and API responses shaped like Directus's /items/<collection> endpoints. Spotting it signals a team that wanted a headless CMS but kept ownership of the database and the hosting — a privacy-, cost- or control-conscious choice over a SaaS like Contentful.
Directus in a real-world stack
When you find Directus, it rarely travels alone. A PostgreSQL or MySQL database underneath, Node on the server, and a decoupled JavaScript front end consuming its API.
About
Directus is a free and open-source headless CMS framework for managing custom SQL-based databases.
Categories: CMS
Quick facts
Detection methodology for CMS
For content management systems we lean on the most stable signals each platform leaves behind: the `<meta name="generator">` tag, asset URL prefixes (`/wp-content/`, `/sites/default/files/`, `/cdn.shopify.com/`), distinctive cookie namespaces (`wordpress_*`, `_shopify_*`, `Drupal.*`) and admin-route signatures (`/wp-admin/`, `/user/login`). When the visible site is a JavaScript framework with a headless CMS underneath, we surface the CMS SDK from the bundle (`@sanity/client`, `contentful`, `@storyblok/react`) — the fingerprint that survives even when the HTML carries no traditional CMS markers.
How we detect Directus
Sourcemap Explorer carries 1 fingerprint signal for Directus, spread across 1 channel — response header. The exact patterns are listed below, and you can replay each one in Chrome DevTools to confirm a match by hand.
Each signal alone is rarely conclusive — Sourcemap Explorer cross-references all of them and weights by confidence. You can reproduce any of these checks yourself in Chrome DevTools.
Server-side fingerprint: the response header reveals the technology behind the page. Visible in DevTools → Network → response headers.
x-powered-by: ^Directus$
Implies
When Directusis detected, Sourcemap Explorer also marks the following technologies as present (Wappalyzer's implies graph).
FAQ
How do I check if a website is using Directus?
Open the page in Chrome, click the Sourcemap Explorer toolbar icon, and read the Stack tab. Directus's specific fingerprints here are response header, and the popup flags Directus whenever any combination of them is found. The same checks can be reproduced manually in DevTools — see the "How we detect" section above.
What Directus version can Sourcemap Explorer detect?
Directus ships as a hosted cms rather than a bundled npm package, so version-specific detection isn't always possible. Where the platform leaks a version in response headers (`X-Powered-By`, `Server`, generator meta tags) we surface it; otherwise we report presence only.
Is Directus open source?
Yes, Directus is open source. The license details are listed on the official site (https://directus.io), and the codebase typically lives on a public source-control host.
How much does Directus cost?
Directus's pricing model is documented as: freemium, low, recurring. Detection is independent of the pricing tier — Sourcemap Explorer flags the technology by its fingerprints, regardless of which paid plan a site is on. See the official site for the current pricing page.
Where can I read more about Directus?
Official site: https://directus.io. For Sourcemap Explorer's detection guide, see the deep-dive link below or the related guides in the cross-link section.
Keep reading on Sourcemap Explorer
Practical guides
Detection deep dives
Alternative tools
Detected by Sourcemap Explorer
Open the popup on any page running Directusand you'll see the exact version pulled from the bundled package.json when sourcemaps are exposed.