Directus vs Strapi

Directus

The built-in MCP server works under the connecting user's permissions, supports OAuth limited to the MCP endpoint and blocks deletes unless an administrator allows them. Since version 12 a licence check caps the free Core tier at 3 Studio seats, 25 collections and 5 flows, and the default tool list carries about 79 KB of instructions.

Strapi

The built-in MCP server shows an agent only the tools, fields and locales its Admin token permits, and content tools create drafts by default. Rollback is the limit. Content History is a paid feature and records admin panel edits only, so API and MCP writes leave no version to restore, and the MCP server can't upload files.

Directus

1. Connect with OAuth or an Authorization: Bearer header. Don't put the token in the URL as ?access_token=, where it can be logged
2. Use /mcp?tool_mode=registry when the client loads every tool definition. Default mode sends each tool's full instructions, about 79 KB in total
3. Read the schema tool before writing. Item payloads are untyped objects, so field names and types come only from the data model
4. Publish a version with POST /versions/{id}/promote over REST. The MCP items tool refuses system collections such as directus_versions
5. Count translation and junction tables against the 25-collection Core limit before creating collections

Strapi

1. Pass status=draft on every REST POST and PUT. Without it the Content API publishes the entry at once
2. Use an Admin token for /mcp and admin routes and an API token for /api. Each kind is rejected on the other's routes
3. Upload files with multipart POST to /api/upload first, then reference the returned file id in the entry. MCP tools can't upload
4. Call media_delete_assets and media_delete_folder without dryRun first to preview, and take asset ids only from media_list_assets
5. Keep your own copy of an entry before updating it. API and MCP writes create no Content History version