How to Install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS

Here’s a step-by-step guide detailing how to install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS.

What is Directus?

Directus is an open-source headless CMS and data platform that allows you to manage and interact with your database through a RESTful API or GraphQL API. It provides a modern, user-friendly admin interface for managing content while keeping full control over your database.

Key Features of Directus

🔹 Database-First Approach

• Directus connects to any SQL database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc.).
• It does not modify your database structure but extends it with metadata.
• You can use Directus on top of an existing database without migration.

🔹 Headless CMS

• Acts as a back-end-only content management system.
• Front-end agnostic—can be used with React, Vue, Angular, Next.js, etc..

🔹 API-Driven

• Provides both REST and GraphQL APIs.
• Fully customizable API endpoints.
• Built-in role-based access control (RBAC).

🔹 Customizable & Extensible

• Supports custom hooks, extensions, and webhooks.
• Fully open-source with a strong developer community.

🔹 Self-Hosting Options

• Can be self-hosted on a VPS or dedicated server.
• Supports Docker, Kubernetes, and systemd for easy deployment.

How is Directus Different from Other Headless CMSs?

Directus is ideal for developers who want full control over their database while still benefiting from a modern CMS and API platform.

Who Should Use Directus?

• ✅ Developers who need a customizable API-driven CMS.
• ✅ Teams who want to manage content without locking into a proprietary system.
• ✅ Businesses looking for a self-hosted alternative to SaaS platforms.
• ✅ Projects that require structured database management with an intuitive UI.

Use Cases

• 📌 Enterprise Applications – Manage complex databases with a sleek admin UI.
• 📌 E-Commerce – Handle product catalogs and orders with an API-driven backend.
• 📌 Mobile Apps – Use Directus as a lightweight backend for mobile applications.
• 📌 IoT & Data Management – Store, manage, and analyze structured data easily.

Prerequisites

Ensure that your AlmaLinux VPS meets the following requirements:

• AlmaLinux 8 or AlmaLinux 9 (64-bit)
• Root or sudo access
• At least 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended)
• Node.js (v16 or later)
• A Database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, or MariaDB)
• Nginx or Apache (Optional)
• A domain name (Optional, for production setup)

How to Install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS

To install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS, follow the steps below:

1. Update Your System

   Before installing Directus, update your system packages:

   sudo dnf update -y
   

2. Install Required Dependencies

   Install wget, curl, git, unzip, and other dependencies:

   sudo dnf install wget curl git unzip -y
   

3. Install Node.js and npm

   Directus requires Node.js. Install the latest stable version:

   curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo bash -
   sudo dnf install -y nodejs
   

   Verify installation:

   node -v
   npm -v
   

4. Install Database Server

   Directus supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MariaDB. Choose one:

   • Install MySQL (Recommended)

     sudo dnf install mysql-server -y
     sudo systemctl enable --now mysqld
     

     Secure MySQL:

     sudo mysql_secure_installation
     

     Create a database and user:

     mysql -u root -p
     

     Inside MySQL prompt:

     CREATE DATABASE directus;
     CREATE USER 'directus_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'StrongPassword';
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON directus.* TO 'directus_user'@'localhost';
     FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
     EXIT;
     

   • For PostgreSQL

     sudo dnf install postgresql-server -y
     sudo postgresql-setup --initdb
     sudo systemctl enable --now postgresql
     

     Create database and user:

     sudo -u postgres psql
     

     CREATE DATABASE directus;
     CREATE USER directus_user WITH ENCRYPTED PASSWORD 'StrongPassword';
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE directus TO directus_user;
     

     Exit with \q.

5. Install Directus

   Now install Directus globally using npm:

   npm install -g @directus/cli
   

   Verify the installation:

   directus --version
   

6. Initialize Directus

   Navigate to your desired installation directory:

   mkdir ~/directus && cd ~/directus
   directus init
   

   Follow the prompts to configure Directus. Use the database credentials created earlier.

7. Configure Directus

   Open the .env file inside the Directus directory:

   nano .env
   

   Modify the database settings as needed. Example for MySQL:

   DB_CLIENT=mysql
   DB_HOST=localhost
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=directus
   DB_USER=directus_user
   DB_PASSWORD=StrongPassword
   

   Save and exit (CTRL + X, then Y, then ENTER).

8. Start Directus

   Run the Directus server:

   directus start
   

   The output will confirm Directus is running on http://localhost:8055.

9. Configure a Reverse Proxy (Optional, for Production)

   If using Nginx, install it:

   sudo dnf install nginx -y
   sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
   

   Create a Directus configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/directus.conf
   

   Add the following:

   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name yourdomain.com;
   
       location / {
           proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8055;
           proxy_set_header Host $host;
           proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
           proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
       }
   }
   

   Save and restart Nginx:

   sudo systemctl restart nginx
   

10. Access Directus

    • Visit http://yourdomain.com (if configured with a domain).
    • If running locally, visit http://your-server-ip:8055.

    Log in with the credentials you set during installation.

Recommended Setup: Running Directus as a Systemd Service & Setting Up Certbot SSL

Now that we know how to install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS, this section will show you how to run Directus as a systemd service for better stability and secure it with SSL using Certbot (requires configuring a fully-qualified domain name for Directus).

1. Create a Systemd Service for Directus

   To ensure Directus runs automatically on boot and restarts if it crashes, we will create a systemd service.

   1. Create a Service File

      sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/directus.service
      

      Add the following content:

      [Unit]
      Description=Directus Headless CMS
      After=network.target
      
      [Service]
      User=root
      WorkingDirectory=/root/directus
      ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /usr/local/bin/directus start
      Restart=always
      Environment="NODE_ENV=production"
      
      [Install]
      WantedBy=multi-user.target
      

      💡 Modify paths if your Directus is installed in a different directory.

   2. Enable and Start the Service

      Reload systemd to apply changes:

      sudo systemctl daemon-reload
      

      Enable Directus to start on boot:

      sudo systemctl enable directus
      

      Start Directus:

      sudo systemctl start directus
      

      Check its status:

      sudo systemctl status directus
      

      🔹 If everything is set up correctly, you should see Directus running.

2. Set Up SSL with Certbot

   To secure Directus with HTTPS, we will install Certbot and obtain a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.

   1. Install Certbot

      First, install the EPEL repository:

      sudo dnf install epel-release -y
      

      Now install Certbot and the Nginx plugin:

      sudo dnf install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
      

   2. Obtain an SSL Certificate

      Run the following command (replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain):

      sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com
      

      Follow the prompts:

      1. Enter your email address.
      2. Agree to the Let’s Encrypt Terms of Service.
      3. Choose whether to redirect HTTP to HTTPS (Recommended: Yes).

      If successful, you will see a message confirming your SSL certificate has been issued.

   3. Configure Automatic SSL Renewal

      Let’s Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days. Set up automatic renewal:

      sudo crontab -e
      

      Add this line at the bottom:

      0 3 * * * certbot renew --quiet
      

      This will automatically renew your SSL certificate every night at 3 AM.

3. Restart Services

   Restart Nginx to apply the changes:

   sudo systemctl restart nginx
   

   Restart Directus:

   sudo systemctl restart directus
   

4. Verify HTTPS

   Now visit https://yourdomain.com in your browser. 🎉
   Your Directus installation should be running securely over HTTPS.

Final Notes

• If you face SSL issues, run:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

This tests renewal without making actual changes.

• To manually restart Directus after updates:

sudo systemctl restart directus

• Monitor Directus logs:

journalctl -u directus -f

Conclusion

We’ve now learned how to install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS, run Directus as a systemd service, and secure Directus installation with Let’s Encrypt SSL with Certbot.

That’s it! 🎉 You now know how to install Directus on AlmaLinux VPS. 🚀 Let us know in the comments if you have any questions or feedback!