Select a Configuration Method for Improved User

The goal of this package is to improve your project’s User model. To that end, Improved User may be used in three different ways. You may:

inherit AbstractUser in your own User model (extension);
use the supplied User model directly (integration);
create your own User model using the supplied model mix-in classes (replacement).

Tip

It is generally considered a good idea to change the User model as infrequently and as little as possible, given the possibility of security problems. Creating a Profile model—which has a foreign key to the User model—to store your users’ information can help avoid changes to the User model.

Extension Method

The extension method is the recommended method to use when configuring Improved User. Instructions for this method are found in Quickstart: Using Improved User. This method gives the developer the most control and flexibility, at the cost of having slightly extra code. This method is the least likely to cause you problems in the long run, as it grants you control of the model fields and migrations for your User model, and gives you the opportunity of entirely removing Improved User in the future if you need to.

Integration Method

The integration option is the simplest, and uses the least code. However, it is also the least flexible, as it assumes that you will never change the structure of the User model. While this method may work fine for many, the amount of work required to deal with any potential future change is very high. In many ways, it is the most similar to Django’s own User: you gain all of the benefits of the class directly, but forgo the ability to control or remove the model in the future without serious work. You may refer to How To: Integrate Improved User Directly to use this method.

Warning

It will always be possible to switch between the extension and replacement methods, but is difficult to migrate to or from the integration method.

Replacement Method

The replacement method comes with the same trade-offs as the extension method, but should be used in the event any of the fields included in the AbstractUser are not desired. We recommend this method only to those very familiar with Django. For more information, please refer to How To: Create a Custom User using Mixins.