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Dynamic Form Conditions Plugin for Headless CMS
A commercial extension that adds field-to-field dynamic conditional logic to headless CMS admin forms, starting with Directus. Users currently resort to hacky computed-interface workarounds or accept static-only conditions, creating an opening for a packaged solution that provides visual condition building with cross-field references, real-time evaluation, and support for context values like current user role.
Why this matters
You are a developer building a content management system on a headless CMS platform. Your content model requires conditional form behavior — showing or hiding certain fields based on the values of other fields in the same form. You set up what seems like a straightforward condition referencing another field, only to discover it silently does nothing. After debugging, filing issues, and waiting for responses, you learn this capability was never supported. The only workaround is to create a computed field with custom JavaScript for every conditional scenario, which is tedious, error-prone, and completely inaccessible to your non-technical content editors. You waste hours on what should be a basic form configuration task.
- · Built for Development teams and content managers using headless CMS platforms (Directus, Strapi, Payload CMS) who need complex conditional form logic in their admin panels and content editing interfaces.
- · Most likely monetization: SaaS subscription with per-CMS-instance pricing, plus a free tier for single-project usage.
The Pain · Narrative
You are a developer building a content management system on a headless CMS platform. Your content model requires conditional form behavior — showing or hiding certain fields based on the values of other fields in the same form. You set up what seems like a straightforward condition referencing another field, only to discover it silently does nothing. After debugging, filing issues, and waiting for responses, you learn this capability was never supported. The only workaround is to create a computed field with custom JavaScript for every conditional scenario, which is tedious, error-prone, and completely inaccessible to your non-technical content editors. You waste hours on what should be a basic form configuration task.
Score Breakdown
Market Signal
Go-to-Market
Solo developers and small agency teams building client projects on Directus who need conditional admin form logic and currently hack around the limitation with computed fields
Roughly 5,000-15,000 developers across Directus, Strapi, and Payload CMS who actively build complex content models with conditional field requirements
GitHub Marketplace listing plus organic issues/discussions in relevant CMS repositories where users report this limitation
$19/month per CMS instance, with a free tier for single-project non-commercial use
50 GitHub stars and 10 paying users within 30 days of launching the Directus extension
MVP Scope · 1–2 weeks
- Build core condition evaluation engine in TypeScript that resolves cross-field references and context variables
- Create Vue.js integration package targeting Directus form components with a watcher-based re-evaluation approach
- Implement a JSON-based condition schema supporting field-to-field comparisons, context variables, and all field states (show/hide/require/disable)
- Set up a minimal Directus extension project structure with build pipeline and installation instructions
- Write 3-5 example condition configurations demonstrating the most common use cases (field equals field, context-based visibility, cascading conditions)
- Build a basic visual condition builder UI within the Directus admin settings for creating rules without writing JSON
- Add real-time condition testing tool that lets users preview form behavior with sample field values
- Publish the extension to the Directus marketplace with documentation and a quickstart guide
- Create a demo project showing 5 real-world conditional form scenarios working end-to-end
- Reach out to 20 developers who previously reported this limitation in GitHub issues to invite them to try the beta
Differentiation
Why This Might Fail
Self-rebuttal — the most important trust signal
- 1Directus or other CMS platforms may ship native dynamic condition support within 6-12 months, making a paid extension redundant — this is the strongest threat since the feature gap is well-known and relatively straightforward for CMS teams to implement
- 2The addressable market per CMS platform may be too small to sustain a standalone product, especially if developers prefer free workarounds over paying for an extension they perceive should be a core platform feature
- 3Extension API breaking changes across CMS major versions could create a maintenance treadmill where the cost of keeping the extension compatible exceeds subscription revenue, particularly if adoption is slow
Evidence Summary
How AI synthesized this insight — no verbatim quotes
Approximately 4 commenters engaged with this limitation discussion. One developer reported that dynamic field references in conditions produced no UI behavior changes, expecting the feature to work. A project maintainer clarified that cross-field dynamic conditions were never supported, confirming this is a known capability gap rather than a bug. The original reporter then shared a workaround using computed interfaces, demonstrating that users are actively investing effort to solve this problem. A third contributor proposed a technical fix involving reactive watchers, indicating developer interest in solving the problem programmatically. No explicit payment signals were observed, but the workaround effort and confusion suggest unmet demand for a packaged solution.
Action Plan
Validate this opportunity before writing code
Recommended Next Step
Validate
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Landing Page Copy Kit
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Headline
Dynamic Form Conditions Plugin for Headless CMS
Sub-headline
A commercial extension that adds field-to-field dynamic conditional logic to headless CMS admin forms, starting with Directus. Users currently resort to hacky computed-interface workarounds or accept static-only conditions, creating an opening for a packaged solution that provides visual condition building with cross-field references, real-time evaluation, and support for context values like current user role.
Who It's For
For Development teams and content managers using headless CMS platforms (Directus, Strapi, Payload CMS) who need complex conditional form logic in their admin panels and content editing interfaces
Feature List
✓ Visual condition builder supporting field-to-field comparisons (if field A equals field B, show/hide/require field C) ✓ Real-time condition re-evaluation when any referenced field value or context value changes ✓ Support for dynamic context variables (current user, role, date) in condition expressions ✓ Cross-platform extension packages for Directus, Strapi, and Payload CMS ✓ Condition preview/testing tool to validate logic before deploying to production forms
Where to Validate
Share your landing page in r/GitHub · directus/directus — that's exactly where these pain points were discovered.
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