Question

Is there a simpler way to add a user than with the following pattern?

    try:
        new_user = User.objects.create_user(username, email, password)
    except IntegrityError:
        messages.info(request, "This user already exists.")
    else:
        new_user.first_name = first_name
        # continue with other things

Answer 1

I don’t think so. But you can proxify the Django User:

class MyUser(User):
    class Meta:
        proxy = True

    def get_or_create(self, username, email, password, *args, **kwargs):
        try:
            new_user = User.objects.create_user(username, email, password)
        except IntegrityError:
            return User.objects.get(username=username, email=email)
        else:
            new_user.first_name = kwargs['first_name'] # or what you want
            ...etc...

        return new_user