Directus Docs

# JavaScript SDK

The JS SDK provides an intuitive interface for the Directus API from within a JavaScript-powered project (browsers and Node.js). The default implementation uses Axios (opens new window) for transport and localStorage for storing state.

# Installation

npm install @directus/sdk

# Usage

import { Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

const directus = new Directus('http://directus.example.com');

async function start() {
	// We don't need to authenticate if data is public
	const publicData = await directus.items('public').readByQuery({ meta: 'total_count' });

	console.log({
		items: publicData.data,
		total: publicData.meta.total_count,
	});

	// But, we need to authenticate if data is private
	let authenticated = false;

	// Try to authenticate with token if exists
	await directus.auth
		.refresh()
		.then(() => {
			authenticated = true;
		})
		.catch(() => {});

	// Let's login in case we don't have token or it is invalid / expired
	while (!authenticated) {
		const email = window.prompt('Email:');
		const password = window.prompt('Password:');

		await directus.auth
			.login({ email, password })
			.then(() => {
				authenticated = true;
			})
			.catch(() => {
				window.alert('Invalid credentials');
			});
	}

	// After authentication, we can fetch the private data in case the user has access to it
	const privateData = await directus.items('privateData').readByQuery({ meta: 'total_count' });

	console.log({
		items: privateData.data,
		total: privateData.meta.total_count,
	});
}

start();

# TypeScript

Version >= 4.1

Although it's not required, it is recommended to use Typescript to have an easy development experience. This allows more detailed IDE suggestions for return types, sorting, filtering, etc.

To feed the SDK with your current schema, you need to pass it on the constructor.

type BlogPost = {
	id: ID;
	title: string;
};

type BlogSettings = {
	display_promotions: boolean;
};

type MyCollections = {
	posts: BlogPost;
	settings: BlogSettings;
};

// This is how you feed custom type information to Directus.
const directus = new Directus<MyCollections>('http://url');

// ...

const post = await directus.items('posts').readOne(1);
// typeof(post) is a partial BlogPost object

const settings = await posts.singleton('settings').read();
// typeof(settings) is a partial BlogSettings object

You can also extend the Directus system type information by providing type information for system collections as well.

import { Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

// Custom fields added to Directus user collection.
type UserType = {
	level: number;
	experience: number;
};

type CustomTypes = {
	/*
	This type will be merged with Directus user type.
	It's important that the naming matches a directus
	collection name exactly. Typos won't get caught here
	since SDK will assume it's a custom user collection.
	*/
	directus_users: UserType;
};

const directus = new Directus<CustomTypes>('https://api.example.com');

await directus.auth.login({
	email: 'admin@example.com',
	password: 'password',
});

const me = await directus.users.me.read();
// typeof me = partial DirectusUser & UserType;

// OK
me.level = 42;

// Error TS2322: Type "string" is not assignable to type "number".
me.experience = 'high';

# Reference

# Constructor

This is the starting point to use the SDK. You need to create an instance and invoke methods from it. In most cases a single instance is sufficient, but in case you need more, you need to define options.storage.prefix.

import { Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

const directus = new Directus(url, init);

  • url [required] String - A string pointing to your Directus instance. E.g. https://admin.directus.io

  • init [optional] Object - Define settings that you want to customize .The possible options are:

    • auth [optional] Object - Defines settings you want to customize regarding authentication. The possible options are:

      • mode [optional] String - Defines the mode you want to use for authentication. It can be 'cookie' for cookies or 'json' for JWT. Defaults to 'cookie' on browsers and 'json' otherwise. We recommend using cookies when possible to prevent any kind of attacks, mostly XSS.

      • autoRefresh [optional] Boolean - Tells SDK if it should handle refresh tokens automatically. Defaults to true.

      • msRefreshBeforeExpires [optional] Number - When autoRefresh is enabled, this tells how many milliseconds before the refresh token expires and needs to be refreshed. Defaults to 30000.

      • staticToken [optional] String - Defines the static token to use. It is not compatible with the options above since it does not refresh. Defaults to '' (no static token).

    • storage [optional] Object - Defines settings you want to customize regarding storage.

      • prefix [optional] String - Defines the tokens prefix tokens that are saved. This should be fulfilled with different values when using multiple instances of SDK. Defaults to '' (no prefix).
      • mode [optional] String - Defines the storage location to be used to save tokens. Allowed values are LocalStorage and MemoryStorage. Defaults to LocalStorage on browsers and MemoryStorage on Node.js. The mode LocalStorage is not compatible with Node.js.

    • transport [optional] Object - Defines settings you want to customize regarding transport.
      • params [optional] Object - Defines an object with keys and values to be passed as additional query string.
      • headers [optional] Object - Defines an object with keys and values to be passed as additional headers.
      • onUploadProgress [optional] (event: ProgressEvent (opens new window) => void) - Defines a callback function to indicate the upload progress.

# Auth

Defines how authentication is handled by the SDK.

# Custom Implementation

It is possible to provide a custom implementation by extending IAuth. While this could be useful for advanced usage, most use-cases do not need it.

import { IAuth, Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

class MyAuth extends IAuth {
	async login() {
		return { access_token: '', expires: 0 };
	}
	async logout() {}
	async refresh() {
		return { access_token: '', expires: 0 };
	}
	async static() {
		return true;
	}
}

const directus = new Directus('http://directus.example.com', { auth: new MyAuth() });

# Directus Implementation

By default, Directus creates an instance of Auth which handles refresh tokens automatically. Check options.auth to see the available settings.

# Get current token

const token = directus.auth.token;

# Login

# With credentials

await directus.auth.login({
	email: 'admin@example.com',
	password: 'd1r3ctu5',
});

# With static tokens

await directus.auth.static('static_token');

# Refresh Auth Token

By default, Directus will handle token refreshes. Although, you can handle this behaviour manually by setting autoRefresh to false.

await directus.auth.refresh();

Developing Locally

If you're developing locally, you might not be able to refresh your auth token automatically in all browsers. This is because the default auth configuration requires secure cookies to be set, and not all browsers allow this for localhost. You can use a browser which does support this such as Firefox, or disable secure cookies.

# Logout

await directus.auth.logout();

# Request a Password Reset

By default, the address defined in PUBLIC_URL on .env file is used for the link to the reset password page sent in the email:

await directus.auth.password.request('admin@example.com');

But a custom address can be passed as second argument:

await directus.auth.password.request(
	'admin@example.com',
	'https://myapp.com' // In this case, the link will be https://myapp.com?token=FEE0A...
);

# Reset a Password

await directus.auth.password.reset('abc.def.ghi', 'n3w-p455w0rd');

Note: The token passed in the first parameter is sent in an email to the user when using request()

# Transport

The transport object abstracts how you communicate with Directus. Transports can be customized to use different HTTP libraries for example.

# Custom Implementation

It is possible to provide a custom implementation by extending ITransport. While, this could be useful for advanced usage, it is not needed for most use-cases.

import { ITransport, Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

class MyTransport extends ITransport {
	buildResponse() {
		return {
			raw: '',
			data: {},
			status: 0,
			headers: {},
		};
	}

	async get(path, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async head(path, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async options(path, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async delete(path, data, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async post(path, data, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async put(path, data, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
	async patch(path, data, options) {
		return this.buildResponse();
	}
}

const directus = new Directus('http://directus.example.com', { transport: new MyTransport() });

# Directus Implementation

By default, Directus creates an instance of Transport which handles requests automatically. Check options.transport to see the available settings.

To make HTTP requests SDK uses axios so it is compatible in both browsers and Node.js. Also, it is possible to handle upload progress (a downside of fetch).

# Storage

The storage is used to load and save token information.

# Custom Implementation

It is possible to provide a custom implementation by extending BaseStorage. While, this could be useful for advanced usage, it is not needed for most use-cases.

import { BaseStorage, Directus } from '@directus/sdk';

class SessionStorage extends BaseStorage {
	get(key) {
		return sessionStorage.getItem(key);
	}
	set(key, value) {
		return sessionStorage.setItem(key, value);
	}
	delete(key) {
		return sessionStorage.removeItem(key);
	}
}

const directus = new Directus('http://directus.example.com', { storage: new SessionStorage() });

# Directus Implementation

By default, Directus creates an instance of Storage which handles store information automatically. Check options.storage to see the available settings.

SDK uses localStorage on browsers and the memory itself on Node.js to save tokens. This behavior can be configured in options.storage.mode. The LocalStorage is only available on browsers and the MemoryStorage is not persistent, i.e., once you leave the tab or quit the process, you will need to authenticate again.

If you want to use multiple instances of the SDK you should set a different prefix for each one.

# Items

You can get an instance of the item handler by providing the collection (and type, in the case of TypeScript) to the items function. The following examples will use the Article type.

JavaScript

// import { Directus, ID } from '@directus/sdk';
const { Directus } = require('@directus/sdk');

const directus = new Directus('http://directus.example.com');

const articles = directus.items('articles');

TypeScript

import { Directus, ID } from '@directus/sdk';

// Map your collection structure based on its fields.
type Article = {
	id: ID;
	title: string;
	body: string;
	published: boolean;
};

// Map your collections to its respective types. The SDK will
// infer its types based on usage later.
type MyBlog = {
	// [collection_name]: typescript_type
	articles: Article;

	// You can also extend Directus collection. The naming has
	// to match a Directus system collection and it will be merged
	// into the system spec.
	directus_users: {
		bio: string;
	};
};

// Let the SDK know about your collection types.
const directus = new Directus<MyBlog>('https://directus.myblog.com');

// typeof(article) is a partial "Article"
const article = await directus.items('articles').readOne(10);

// Error TS2322: "hello" is not assignable to type "boolean".
// post.published = 'hello';

# Create Single Item

await articles.createOne({
	title: 'My New Article',
});

# Create Multiple Items

await articles.createMany([
	{
		title: 'My First Article',
	},
	{
		title: 'My Second Article',
	},
]);

# Read By Query

await articles.readByQuery({
	search: 'Directus',
	filter: {
		date_published: {
			_gte: '$NOW',
		},
	},
});

# Read All

await articles.readByQuery({
	// By default API limits results to 100.
	// With -1, it will return all results, but it may lead to performance degradation
	// for large result sets.
	limit: -1,
});

# Read Single Item

await articles.readOne(15);

Supports optional query:

await articles.readOne(15, {
	fields: ['title'],
});

# Read Multiple Items

await articles.readMany([15, 16, 17]);

Supports optional query:

await articles.readMany([15, 16, 17], {
	fields: ['title'],
});

# Update Single Item

await articles.updateOne(15, {
	title: 'This articles now has a different title',
});

Supports optional query:

await articles.updateOne(
	42,
	{
		title: 'This articles now has a similar title',
	},
	{
		fields: ['title'],
	}
);

# Update Multiple Items

await articles.updateMany([15, 42], {
	title: 'Both articles now have the same title',
});

Supports optional query:

await articles.updateMany(
	[15, 42],
	{
		title: 'Both articles now have the same title',
	},
	{
		fields: ['title'],
	}
);

# Delete

// One
await articles.deleteOne(15);

// Multiple
await articles.deleteMany([15, 42]);

# Request Parameter Overrides

To override any of the axios request parameters, provide an additional parameter with a requestOptions object:

await articles.createOne(
	{ title: 'example' },
	{ fields: ['id'] },
	{
		requestOptions: {
			headers: {
				'X-My-Custom-Header': 'example',
			},
		},
	}
);

# Activity

directus.activity;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_activity").

# Comments

directus.comments;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_comments").

# Collections

directus.collections;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_collections").

# Fields

directus.fields;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_fields").

# Files

directus.files;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_files").

# Uploading a file

To upload a file you will need to send a multipart/form-data as body. On browser side you do so:

/* index.js */
import { Directus } from 'https://unpkg.com/@directus/sdk@latest/dist/sdk.esm.min.js';

const directus = new Directus('http://localhost:8055', {
	auth: {
		staticToken: 'STATIC_TOKEN', // If you want to use a static token, otherwise check below how you can use email and password.
	},
});

// await directus.auth.login({ email, password }) // If you want to use email and password. You should remove the staticToken above

const form = document.querySelector('#upload-file');

if (form && form instanceof HTMLFormElement) {
	form.addEventListener('submit', async (event) => {
		event.preventDefault();

		const form = new FormData(event.target);
		await directus.files.createOne(form);
	});
}

<!-- index.html -->
<head></head>
<body>
	<form id="upload-file">
		<input type="text" name="title" />
		<input type="file" name="file" />
    	<button>Send</button>
	</form>
	<script src="/index.js" type="module"></script>
</body>
</html>

# NodeJS usage

When uploading a file from a NodeJS environment, you'll have to override the headers to ensure the correct boundary is set:

import { Directus } from 'https://unpkg.com/@directus/sdk@latest/dist/sdk.esm.min.js';

const directus = new Directus('http://localhost:8055', {
	auth: {
		staticToken: 'STATIC_TOKEN', // If you want to use a static token, otherwise check below how you can use email and password.
	},
});

const form = new FormData();
form.append("file", fs.createReadStream("./to_upload.jpeg"));

const fileId = await directus.files.createOne(form, {}, {
  requestOptions: {
    headers: {
      ...form.getHeaders()
    }
  }
);

# Importing a file

Example of importing a file from a URL:

await directus.files.import({
	url: 'http://www.example.com/example-image.jpg',
});

Example of importing file with custom data:

await directus.files.import({
	url: 'http://www.example.com/example-image.jpg',
	data: {
		title: 'My Custom File',
	},
});

# Folders

directus.folders;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_folders").

# Permissions

directus.permissions;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_permissions").

# Presets

directus.presets;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_presets").

# Relations

directus.relations;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_relations").

# Revisions

directus.revisions;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_revisions").

# Roles

directus.roles;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_roles").

# Settings

directus.settings;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_settings").

# Server

# Ping the Server

await directus.server.ping();

# Get Server/Project Info

await directus.server.info();

# Users

directus.users;

Same methods as directus.items("directus_users"), and:

# Invite a New User

await directus.users.invites.send('admin@example.com', 'fe38136e-52f7-4622-8498-112b8a32a1e2');

The second parameter is the role of the user

# Accept a User Invite

await directus.users.invites.accept('<accept-token>', 'n3w-p455w0rd');

The provided token is sent to the user's email

# Enable Two-Factor Authentication

await directus.users.tfa.enable('my-password');

# Disable Two-Factor Authentication

await directus.users.tfa.disable('691402');

# Get the Current User

await directus.users.me.read();

Supports optional query:

await directus.users.me.read({
	fields: ['last_access'],
});

# Update the Current Users

await directus.users.me.update({ first_name: 'Admin' });

Supports optional query:

await directus.users.me.update({ first_name: 'Admin' }, { fields: ['last_access'] });

# Utils

# Get a Random String

await directus.utils.random.string();

Supports an optional length (defaults to 32):

await directus.utils.random.string(50);

# Generate a Hash for a Given Value

await directus.utils.hash.generate('My String');

# Verify if a Hash is Valid

await directus.utils.hash.verify('My String', '$argon2i$v=19$m=4096,t=3,p=1$A5uogJh');

# Sort Items in a Collection

await directus.utils.sort('articles', 15, 42);

This will move item 15 to the position of item 42, and move everything in between one "slot" up.

# Revert to a Previous Revision

await directus.utils.revert(451);

Note: The key passed is the primary key of the revision you'd like to apply.

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