directus-extension-safe-rename
A Directus extension that lets you safely rename collections and fields — updating all metadata, relations, permissions, presets, flows, and more in a single atomic transaction.
Built by Contensu — a Directus agency.
Why?
Directus does not provide a built-in way to rename collections or fields after they are created. Doing it manually means hunting down every reference across a dozen system tables — and missing one breaks your project silently.
This extension handles all of that automatically.
Features
- Rename collections — renames the table and updates all Directus system tables
- Rename fields — renames the column and updates all references across metadata, relations, permissions, presets, flows, panels, and more
- Relation-aware — updates field references in related collections too (O2M, M2M, M2A)
- Atomic transactions — all changes happen in a single DB transaction, rolls back on failure
- Cache clearing — automatically clears Directus schema cache after renaming
- Protected collections — prevents renaming of Directus system collections (
directus_*)
What gets updated
When renaming a collection
| Table | Columns updated |
|---|---|
directus_collections |
collection, group |
directus_fields |
collection |
directus_relations |
many_collection, one_collection |
directus_permissions |
collection |
directus_presets |
collection |
directus_shares |
collection |
directus_versions |
collection |
directus_revisions |
collection, item |
directus_activity |
collection |
directus_notifications |
collection |
directus_comments |
collection |
directus_flows |
options.collections[] |
directus_operations |
options.collection |
When renaming a field
| Table | Columns updated |
|---|---|
directus_fields |
field, group, options, display_options, conditions, validation |
directus_relations |
many_field, one_field, one_collection_field, junction_field, sort_field |
directus_collections |
archive_field, sort_field, display_template, item_duplication_fields |
directus_permissions |
fields (CSV), permissions, validation, presets (JSON) |
directus_presets |
layout_query, layout_options, filter |
directus_flows |
options |
directus_operations |
options |
directus_panels |
options |
Requirements
- Directus
^11.0.0 - Admin access required
Installation
Via npm (recommended)
npm install @contensu/directus-extension-safe-renameThen restart your Directus instance.
Via Directus Marketplace
This extension requires direct database access and is classified as a non-sandboxed extension. It will not appear in the Directus Marketplace by default.
To enable Marketplace installation, set the following environment variable in your Directus instance:
MARKETPLACE_TRUST="all"This setting allows installation of all non-sandboxed extensions from the Marketplace. Only enable it if you trust the extensions you are installing.
For more details, see the Directus self-hosting extensions guide.
Usage
- Go to Settings → Project Settings and enable the Schema Rename module under the Modules bar
- The Schema Rename module will now appear in the left sidebar — click it
- Select a collection from the list
- To rename the collection — edit the collection name field and click Rename Collection
- To rename fields — edit any field name in the list and click Rename Fields
Database Support
| Database | Status |
|---|---|
| PostgreSQL 13 | Tested |
| PostgreSQL 16 | Tested |
| MySQL 8 | Tested |
| MariaDB 11 | Tested |
| SQLite | Tested |
Tested against Directus 11.14.1, 11.16.1, and 11.17.0.
CI & Releases
Every pull request runs a full integration test suite across 15 jobs (3 Directus versions × 5 databases) via GitHub Actions. Releases are published to npm automatically when a version tag is pushed.
Roadmap
- Impact analyzer — preview all changes before applying
- Translations support
Contributing
Pull requests are welcome. Please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.
License
MIT Contensu