How do I deploy Directus on Railway?

You can deploy Directus on Railway by clicking the "Deploy Now" button on this page. Railway will automatically set up all the necessary services and configurations for you.

What are the system requirements?

Railway handles all the infrastructure requirements. You only need a web browser to deploy and manage your application.

Is this template free to use?

Yes, this template is free to use within your existing Railway account.

Can I customize this template?

Yes, you can fully customize this template. After deployment, you will have full control of what you've deployed in your Railway project.

How do I get support for this template?

You can get support through our community forum: directus-2a1e03de, or join our Discord community for more assistance.

Deploy and Host Directus on Railway

Directus is an open-source headless CMS and data platform that transforms any SQL database into REST and GraphQL APIs with a visual interface. Design your data model visually, build powerful APIs automatically, and enable anyone to author content, manage media, and visualize data, all without vendor lock-in.

About Hosting Directus

Hosting Directus on Railway provides a complete infrastructure stack with minimal configuration. The template automatically provisions a PostgreSQL database, Redis cache, and S3-compatible bucket storage, all connected via Railway's private network for secure, zero-egress communication. Directus runs on Node.js and connects to your database to provide a visual interface and automatic API generation. File uploads and media assets are stored in Railway's scalable S3-compatible bucket storage, ensuring files persist across deployments and work seamlessly with multiple instances. All services are pre-configured with best practices, including caching, connection pooling, S3 storage, and security settings. Railway handles scaling, monitoring, and deployment automatically, so you can focus on building your application rather than managing infrastructure.

Common Use Cases

Content Management Systems (CMS) — Power websites, blogs, and content platforms with a flexible headless CMS
Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) — Build REST and GraphQL APIs for mobile apps, web applications, and IoT devices
Admin Panels and Dashboards — Create custom admin interfaces for managing data, users, and business logic
Product Information Management (PIM) — Manage product catalogs, inventory, and e-commerce data
Digital Experience Platforms — Power multi-channel content delivery for websites, apps, and marketing campaigns

Dependencies for Directus Hosting

Node.js Runtime — Required for Directus execution
PostgreSQL Database — Configured with private network connections (zero egress fees)
Redis Cache — Configured with private network connections for caching and performance
S3-Compatible Bucket Storage — Railway's scalable cloud storage for files, media assets, and uploads (persists across deployments, supports multi-instance scaling)

Deployment Dependencies

Implementation Details

Private Network Communication: All communication between Directus, PostgreSQL, and Redis occurs over Railway's private network. Databases and cache services are not accessible from outside the private network by default, which eliminates egress fees, improves security, and provides faster internal connections. To access your database externally (such as connecting from local development tools), navigate to the database service settings and enable TCP proxying using port 5432 for PostgreSQL or port 6379 for Redis. The TCP proxy can be disabled at any time to restrict external access.

S3-Compatible Bucket Storage: The template automatically configures Railway's S3-compatible bucket storage for file uploads and media assets. Files are stored in Railway's scalable cloud storage, which provides several advantages:

Persistent Storage: Files persist across deployments and container restarts
Multi-Instance Support: Shared storage enables horizontal scaling with multiple Directus instances
Zero Configuration: S3 credentials, bucket name, region, and endpoint are automatically configured via Railway's service variables
Secure Access: Buckets are private by default, and Directus serves files through its API for secure access control
S3-Compatible: Works with standard S3 tools and clients, making it easy to migrate or integrate with other S3-compatible services

The S3 storage is automatically configured when you deploy the template with a Bucket service. All file uploads, media assets, and user-generated content are stored in the bucket, ensuring your data is safe and accessible even during deployments or scaling operations.

Why Deploy Directus on Railway?

Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying Directus on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.