Introduction
What Dyrected is and how the pieces fit together.
Dyrected is a code-first headless CMS. You define your content model in TypeScript — collections, fields, access rules, hooks — and Dyrected generates a REST API, an Admin UI, and a type-safe SDK from it automatically. No clicking through UI builders to create fields.
The engine runs inside your existing Next.js or Nuxt app as a route handler. There is no separate CMS server to run.
How it fits together
@dyrected/core — the engine. Mount it as a catch-all route in Next.js or as a Nuxt module. It handles the database, REST API, file uploads, auth, and email.
Admin UI — auto-generated from your config. Mount it at /admin. Your clients use this to edit content. You never have to build a dashboard.
@dyrected/sdk — a typed TypeScript client for fetching content from your frontend, Node scripts, or any other environment.
Dyrected Cloud — managed hosting for the database, storage, and multi-site workspaces. The fastest way to go live. If you'd rather manage your own infrastructure, self-hosting is free.
Why Dyrected?
| Dyrected | Payload CMS | Sanity | Contentful | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Config | TypeScript in your repo | TypeScript in your repo | Studio UI | Web UI |
| Runs in your app | Yes — no separate server | Yes | No | No |
| Managed cloud option | Yes (Dyrected Cloud) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes — free | Yes — free | Limited | No |
| Multi-site | Yes (Cloud workspaces) | Manual | Project-based | Organisation-based |
| License | BSL → Apache 2 | MIT | Proprietary | Proprietary |
The short version: Dyrected gives you Payload's developer experience (config-as-code, no separate process) with the managed cloud option of Sanity or Contentful.
Self-hosted or Cloud?
Dyrected Cloud — create an account, run dyrected push, set two env vars, and your site is live. No database to provision, no storage bucket to configure, no infrastructure to maintain. Starts at $19/month.
Self-hosted — bring your own Postgres/SQLite/MongoDB and storage. Free under the BSL. Right for teams with strict data residency requirements or who already have infrastructure in place.
Not sure? Read Self-Hosted vs Cloud.
Which path is right for you?
I want the fastest path to a live site → Deploy with Dyrected Cloud
I want to get started locally first → Quickstart
I want to understand self-hosted vs cloud → Self-Hosted vs Cloud
I want to add a blog to an existing Next.js app → Building a Blog
I just need to know what API endpoints exist → REST API Reference