Directus or Laravel: Which Backend API to Choose for a Solo Social Media Project?

If you're only focusing on the basics, Directus could serve you well initially. It’s designed for handling social features like users and posts out of the box. However, if you anticipate needing more customization later, I’d go with Laravel. You can set up an admin page easily with tools like Filament, giving you total control as your project grows.

Neither of these are my top picks, honestly. If I had to work in PHP, I might just build the API from scratch myself. It all depends on your needs, but simplicity is key, especially for a solo gig.

I’d recommend Laravel! It has great documentation and a smooth developer experience. Plus, since you’re familiar with it, you’ll find it easy to work with and integrate lots of features. Directus is cool, but I've never really used it myself, so I'm not sure how it stacks up against Laravel in terms of flexibility and community support.

Honestly, if you already know both, it sounds like you might have the answer yourself. You can make a decision based on what you feel most comfortable developing. But if you’re looking for something quick and easy, Directus is straightforward for this kind of project.

I personally prefer Laravel, as I have a lot of experience with it. Directus doesn’t seem to have a huge community, and it might not be around much longer in the sea of headless CMS options. Laravel is established, widely used, and has excellent documentation. It’s also under the MIT license, which is a plus.