Deprecate the current User model for authentication and authorization

[nanuxbe]

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow Django's Code of Conduct

Feature Description

• Introduce a simpler User that does not have groups or permissions (as in permission model)
• keep the abstract User model without username or email
• start new projects with either a subclass of that base model that has basic role (user and admin could be it)
• keep the Permission classes
• enable the current user model as an option
• provide an entrypoint (and simple implementation) for 2FA

Problem

For a lot of cases, the current user model is not adequate, being either too complex (project requires only "user" and "admin" roles) or too simple (no notion of record-level ownership or hierarchy). It is also missing a unified 2FA mechanism

Request or proposal

proposal

Additional Details

No response

Implementation Suggestions

No response

[github-actions]

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Reaction Guide

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[apollo13]

Imo this is many features/ideas in one issue. For instance 2fa would be any ideal candidate independent of whether the user model gets reworked.

While I agree that the user model could do with a rework I don't really agree with "it is to complex". I know that this doesn't cover all examples, but if you solely need user/admin set is_superuser for admins and ignore the groups/permissions. This still allows you to level-up your game once you figure out that user/admin wasn't actually enough. I rather have a user model where non-required functionality is not used (to some extend at least) than having to switch a user model mid-project because it is to simple.

What I'd love to see on a user model if we change it:

• a display_name field/property/whatever so we know how to address the user (and get rid of the "broken" first/last names).
• a unique_identifier that can be used for login purposes amongst other things (essentially replacement for username & email)

[sergei-maertens]

IMO making the user model part of the start project template is the interesting part here - changing the user model after it has been set up is quite painful. Are there any statistics or anecdotal evidence about beginners missing the recommendation in the docs to use a custom user model?

[yardensachs]

I would also suggest that password is optional, and allow for an entrypoint (and simple implementation) for email-only logins (magic link one-time code)

[nanorepublica]

Are there any statistics or anecdotal evidence about beginners missing the recommendation in the docs to use a custom user model?

This happens all the time when beginners come to the Discord asking for help.

Generally I agree with apollo13 though in that there is a lot wrapped into this thread and we could do with splitting it out or becoming a bit more focused on what the goal is for this feature.

[apollo13]

IMO making the user model part of the start project template is the interesting part here - changing the user model after it has been set up is quite painful.

Which is also one of the reasons why a new user model should imo strive to cover as many usecases as possible while still staying simple so not many people need to switch the user model. Personally I am not really a fan of swappable models.

[tim-schilling]

I'm generally fine with this, but the 2FA mention feels shoehorned in. I'd like to see that split off because it feels like we should consider 2fa even without a new user model.