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Django Authentication & Authorization
The Security Foundation Every Django App Needs—Done Right from Day One
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Here’s a mistake I see constantly.
A developer starts a Django project, builds features for weeks, then realizes they need to store additional user data — phone numbers, profile pictures, company affiliations. But they’re using Django’s default User model. Now they're stuck with a messy Profile model hack, or worse, facing a painful migration.
The rule is simple: Always create a custom user model before your first migration.
But authentication is more than just the user model. It’s permissions, groups, middleware, and security patterns that protect your application. Django 5.1 introduced LoginRequiredMiddleware — a game-changer for securing views by default.
Today, I’ll show you how to build a production-ready authentication system from scratch.
Why Custom User Models Are Non-Negotiable
Django’s built-in User model has limitations:
- Username is required (many apps use email-only auth)
