Rebase vs Directus

Directus is a powerful API engine, but its database-driven architecture makes deployments frustrating and extensibility hard. See why modern engineering teams are choosing Rebase's code-driven, React-native approach.

Schema Management

Code vs Database State

The Directus Pain

Directus stores your entire schema and UI configuration in hidden database tables (`directus_collections`, `directus_fields`). Managing environments (Staging to Production) requires clunky schema-sync CLI tools or manual database dumps that frequently break down or overwrite data.

How Rebase Solves This

Rebase uses a Schema-as-Code approach. Every collection and field is defined in a standard TypeScript file.

  • Even when you use the visual Rebase Studio to add fields, the engine uses AST-manipulation to write the changes directly to your TypeScript schemas.
  • Changes are committed to Git.
  • Deployments are just a `git pull` away, guaranteeing perfectly synchronized environments every single time.
Extensibility

React Framework vs Vue Engine

The Directus Pain

Directus is an API engine built heavily on Vue.js. To build custom dashboards, specialized inputs, or unique data views, your team is forced to adopt Vue workflows, and stepping outside Directus's specific extension patterns is notoriously difficult.

How Rebase Solves This

Rebase is built natively on React.

  • Create custom fields, entirely new pages, or bespoke dashboard widgets leveraging the massive React ecosystem.
  • Use your favorite React components (MUI, Tailwind, Recharts) instantly without friction.
  • The backend is a standard Hono app. Want a custom route? Just add `app.get()`.
Security & Permissions

Native RLS vs Application Layer

The Directus Pain

Directus enforces permissions exclusively via its own application layer. It does not utilize Postgres Row Level Security (RLS). If an external service queries your DB directly, all those Directus permissions vanish, leaving data exposed.

How Rebase Solves This

Rebase marries the power of native Postgres Row-Level Security with a visual management UI.

  • Rules are pushed to the database via RLS (where possible), so your data stays locked down regardless of where the query originated.
  • Visual editors make defining RLS policies intuitive and error-free.
  • You remain in total control of the security context.

Own your code, own your data.

Migrate your project to a true TypeScript environment built for developers.

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