Actions

This guide covers how to use the Directus Node to perform actions on your Directus data in n8n workflows, including working with items, users, and files.

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Using the Directus Node (Actions)

The Directus node lets you perform actions on your Directus data. It works with three types of resources: Items, Users, and Files.

Available Actions

Quick reference of all available actions organized by resource type:

Common Operations

Most operations follow a similar pattern across resources. Set the Resource type (Item, User, or File), choose the Operation, and configure the required fields.

Create, Update, Delete

These operations work similarly across all resources:

• Create: Set Resource → Operation to Create → Select Collection (Items only) → Fill in fields → Click Add Field for additional fields
• Update: Set Resource → Operation to Update → Enter ID → Update desired fields
• Delete: Set Resource → Operation to Delete → Enter ID

Note for Items: When creating or updating items, you must select the Collection first. For Users and Files, no collection selection is needed.

Get Operations

• Get: Set Resource → Operation to Get → Enter ID → Optionally select Fields to return
• Get Many: Set Resource → Operation to Get Many → Optionally add filters → Set Limit → Optionally select Fields

Note for Items: Select the Collection before configuring filters.

Resource-Specific Operations

Items

Items are content entries in your Directus collections (blog posts, products, pages, etc.). All standard operations require selecting a Collection first.

Example: Create a blog post

• Collection: posts
• Fields: title, content, status

Users

Invite a User

Set Resource to User → Operation to Invite → Enter Email → Select Role.

All other operations (Get, Get Many, Update, Delete) follow the standard pattern above.

Files

Upload a File

Set Resource to File → Operation to Upload a File. The file must come from a previous node that outputs binary data (like an HTTP Request node). Optionally set Title, Description, and Folder.

Import a File from URL

Set Resource to File → Operation to Import a File → Enter File URL

All other operations (Get, Get Many, Update, Delete) follow the standard pattern above.

Tips and Best Practices

Using Expressions

You can use n8n expressions to reference data from previous nodes:

• {{ $json.id }} - Get the ID from the previous node
• {{ $json.title }} - Get the title field
• {{ $json.email }} - Get the email field

This is especially useful when chaining Directus nodes together. For example, use {{ $json.id }} to update an item that was just created in a previous node.

Field Selection

When getting items, you can select specific fields to return. This is helpful when:

• You only need certain information
• You want to reduce the amount of data transferred
• You're working with large collections

Simplify Option

For Get Many operations on Users and Files, use the Simplify option to get only the most commonly used fields. This makes the data easier to work with in subsequent nodes.

Troubleshooting

When working with Directus API through n8n, you may encounter various error codes. For a comprehensive list of Directus error codes and their meanings, refer to the official Directus Error Codes documentation.

Error Handling

If you get errors:

1. Permission Errors: Check that your Directus API token has the right permissions
2. Not Found Errors: Verify that the collection, item ID, or user ID exists
3. Connection Errors: Make sure your Directus URL is correct and accessible

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. For Directus-specific questions: Ask for help in the Directus Community
2. For n8n-specific questions: Visit the n8n Community Forum or check n8n Documentation
3. For API connection issues: Verify your Directus configuration and permissions

Next Steps

• ← Back to Overview Return to the integration overview
• Learn about Directus Triggers → Set up automated workflows