directus-extension-simple-autosync

A tool for updating the latest snapshot into json file in realtime while working with the data model in the Directus UI. While there are other solutions out there, this is designed to be as simplistic as possible while not relying on any CLI calls from within application code. This makes the extension suitable for when running Directus within containers with tools such as Docker, where using tools like npx may cause troubles.

Snapshot generation, diffing etc uses Directus' core functionality only.

Thanks to directus-sync-auto-example for heavily inspiring the hook parts.

Installation

1. npm i directus-extension-simple-autosync
2. Adjust your environment variables depending on desired behavior as described below.

With Docker

If you're running Directus in a Docker container, make sure that the sync files are included in the container. For example, in your Dockerfile: COPY ./autosync-config /directus/autosync-config

Configuration

Control what the extension does by setting environment variables in your Directus setup.

Single or multiple files

By default, each time a snapshot is generated, it will overwrite the same file - snapshot.json. If you'd like to keep things more granular and generate a new, timestamped file for each change instead, simply set the following env variable:

AUTOSYNC_MULTIFILE=true

By default, the file/s will be written to <project directory>/autosync-config. Optionally, you may specify any other directory:

AUTOSYNC_FILE_PATH=/some/custom/path

Automatic update

To automatically write the snapshot file while making data model changes with the Directus UI/API:

AUTOSYNC_PULL=true

This is typically suitable for local development.

To automatically apply the latest snapshot file to the database on startup:

AUTOSYNC_PUSH=true

This is typically suitable for CI/CD deployed live environments.

Including policies, roles and permissions

Usually, a project has carefully configured levels of access that go along with your data model setup. This extension uses the term "rights" to collectively describe permissions, policies and roles along with their relations.

Things to note:

• In order to prevent duplicates, avoid renaming and changing the description of the default roles and policies that come with the Directus initial setup.
• Direct references to user IDs will be removed, since users are not synced.
• Any relations that are exclusively between a user and policy will not be included at all.

To enable separate sync file(s) for rights, simple set the following env variable:

AUTOSYNC_INCLUDE_RIGHTS=true

Now your rights data will be synced as well, stored in a separate file rights.json.

Including translations

You may also choose to sync your custom translations. To enable separate sync file(s) for translations, simple set the following env variable:

AUTOSYNC_INCLUDE_TRANSLATIONS=true

Now your translations data will be synced as well, stored in a separate file translations.json.

Note that while the sync handles updates based on the translation's ID, it will only apply changes made in translation value, not key. So effectively, once a translation is created, its ID is tied to its original key.

Custom filtering

This extension features custom hooks, which gives you the option to customize exactly what's written to the sync files. Available filter hooks:

• simple-autosync.snapshot.pull
• simple-autosync.policies.pull
• simple-autosync.permissions.pull
• simple-autosync.roles.pull
• simple-autosync.access.pull
• simple-autosync.translations.pull

For security reasons, Directus won't let you use the core event listener to listen for custom events like these. Example of how to configure a hook extension to listen:

export default (_, { emitter }) => {
    // Exclude any policies with names starting with "User only"
	emitter.onFilter("simple-autosync.policies.pull", (data) => {
		return data.filter(policy => !policy.name.startsWith("User only"));
	});
};

What about my existing data model?

NOTE: Using this extension will cause loss of data and unexpected problems if your environment that you are applying the snapshot file to already has collections (and roles, polices and permissions if using the rights feature) that are not represented in your snapshot file.

To get things sorted, download a snapshot file from your existing environment using the Manual functions (see below), to get things in sync with your development environment.

Manual functions

Apart from the automatic sync, this extension also includes a UI with some tools for convinient snapshot handling. Activate the module "Simple autosync manual actions" in your Directus project settings.

Dealing with versions

Snapshots are version-specific, meaning that you cannot apply a snapshot to an Directus installation that runs a newer version than the snapshot references. When upgrading your Directus installation locally, keep your snapshot in sync like so:

1. Before upgrading, make sure that your database is synced with your latest snapshot file. Use "Diff" and "Manual push" functions to make sure.
2. Disable AUTOSYNC_PUSH/PULL if active
3. Upgrade your Directus instance
4. Use "Manual pull" to write a new snapshot to disk
5. Re-enable AUTOSYNC_PUSH/PULL if applicable