Custom User Models in Django: AbstractUser and AbstractBaseUser

Every Django project should implement a custom user model from the start. This approach avoids future issues and allows flexibility in authentication, user fields, and business logic. Two common ways to create a custom user model are: extending "AbstractUser" and using "AbstractBaseUser".

Creating custom user models: Using AbstractUser

AbstractUser allows you to extend Django's default User model while retaining built-in authentication features. Consider a project named "geeksforgeeks" having an app named "geeks" and add geeks to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py.

Step 1: Define the Model

In geeks/models.py:

from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser from django.db import models class User(AbstractUser): email = models.EmailField(unique=True) phone_number = models.CharField(max_length=15, blank=True, null=True) USERNAME_FIELD = 'email' REQUIRED_FIELDS = ['username', 'first_name', 'last_name'] def __str__(self): return self.email 

• User(AbstractUser): Custom user model extending Django’s AbstractUser.
• email (unique) and phone_number fields added, email used for login (USERNAME_FIELD).
• REQUIRED_FIELDS ensures required fields for superuser, and __str__ returns the email.

Step 2: Update Settings.py

In setting.py:

AUTH_USER_MODEL = 'geeks.User'

Step 3: Admin Registration

In geeks/admin.py:

from django.contrib import admin from django.contrib.auth.admin import UserAdmin from .models import User class CustomUserAdmin(UserAdmin): model = User list_display = ['email', 'first_name', 'last_name', 'is_staff'] search_fields = ['email'] admin.site.register(User, CustomUserAdmin) 

Step 4: Migrations

python manage.py makemigrations geeks
python manage.py migrate

Step 5: Create Superuser and Test

python manage.py createsuperuser
Email: admin@example.com
Password: ****

Step 6: Run the Server

python manage.py runserver

Visit: "http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/" to manage users.

Using AbstractBaseUser

AbstractBaseUser gives full control over the user model but requires implementing authentication logic, manager classes, and additional fields.

Step 1: Define the Model

In geeks/models.py:

from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractBaseUser, BaseUserManager, PermissionsMixin from django.db import models class UserManager(BaseUserManager): def create_user(self, email, password=None, **extra_fields): if not email: raise ValueError("Email is required") email = self.normalize_email(email) user = self.model(email=email, **extra_fields) user.set_password(password) user.save(using=self._db) return user def create_superuser(self, email, password=None, **extra_fields): extra_fields.setdefault('is_staff', True) extra_fields.setdefault('is_superuser', True) return self.create_user(email, password, **extra_fields) class User(AbstractBaseUser, PermissionsMixin): email = models.EmailField(unique=True) first_name = models.CharField(max_length=50) last_name = models.CharField(max_length=50) is_active = models.BooleanField(default=True) is_staff = models.BooleanField(default=False) objects = UserManager() USERNAME_FIELD = 'email' REQUIRED_FIELDS = ['first_name', 'last_name'] def __str__(self): return self.email 

• UserManager handles user creation, validating email, setting passwords, and creating superusers with is_staff and is_superuser.
• User extends "AbstractBaseUser" and "PermissionsMixin" for authentication and permissions.
• Core fields: email (unique, login ID), first_name, last_name, is_active, is_staff.
• USERNAME_FIELD is email, REQUIRED_FIELDS for superuser, and __str__ returns the email.

Step 2: Update Settings.py

In settings.py:

AUTH_USER_MODEL = 'geeks.User'

Step 3: Admin Registration

In geeks/admin.py:

from django.contrib import admin from django.contrib.auth.admin import UserAdmin from .models import User class CustomUserAdmin(UserAdmin): model = User list_display = ['email', 'first_name', 'last_name', 'is_staff'] search_fields = ['email'] admin.site.register(User, CustomUserAdmin) 

Step 4: Migrations

python manage.py makemigrations geeks
python manage.py migrate

Step 5: Create Superuser and Test

$ python manage.py createsuperuser
Email: admin@example.com
Password: ****

Step 6: Run the Server

$ python manage.py runserver

Visit: "http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/" to manage users.

AbstractUser vs AbstractBaseUser