How to create Custom User Models in Django framework?

Hi everyone! Today, we’re diving into a crucial topic for every Django developer: How to create Custom User Models.

If you are starting a new Django project, there is one golden rule you shouldn't ignore: Never use the default User model if you can avoid it. Let's find out why.

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❓ Why shouldn't we use Django's default User model?

Django comes with a built-in User model that includes fields like username, password, email, etc. While this works great for simple tutorials, real-world applications almost always require more data, such as:

• Phone numbers
• Physical addresses
• Profile pictures
• Date of birth

The Problem: If you start your project with the default User model and decide to switch to a custom one later, migrating your database becomes a massive headache. It is complex, error-prone, and can lead to data loss.

The Solution: The best practice is to define your own custom user model from the very beginning of your project.

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🤔 What is AbstractUser?

When you want to customize your user, Django provides two main options: AbstractUser and AbstractBaseUser. For most use cases, AbstractUser is the perfect balance between flexibility and ease of use.

AbstractUser is a class that inherits all the standard fields from Django's default User model but allows you to extend it with your own custom fields.

In simple terms:

AbstractUser = (Standard Django Fields) + (Your Custom Fields)

Key Advantages of AbstractUser:

• Everything is Ready: It includes all the standard fields like first_name, last_name, email, is_staff, and is_active.
• Standard Authentication: You keep the built-in authentication system (login via username and password) without any extra configuration.
• Highly Flexible: You can easily add any extra information your application needs.

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💻 Code Example

Here is how easy it is to implement a CustomUser in your models.py:

from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser
from django.db import models

class CustomUser(AbstractUser):
# Adding custom fields to the existing User model
phone_number = models.CharField(max_length=15, blank=True, null=True)
address = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True)

def __str__(self):
return self.username

🎯 When should you use AbstractUser?

You should choose AbstractUser when:

1. You want to keep the core structure of Django’s authentication (using username and password).
2. You simply need to add more information (like mobile number, profile details, etc.) to the user.

Verdict: For the vast majority of professional projects, AbstractUser is the best and most secure choice.

Happy Coding! 👨‍💻

If you found this helpful, feel free to leave a ❤️ or a comment!