Drupal® 7 Bible

Chapter 23. Understanding the Drupal User System

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Introducing the user system

• Creating a new user

• Managing users

• Working with the default profiles

• Controlling the styling of the default profiles

• Using the Tracker module

Management of the users on your Web site is one of the most critical tasks performed by your content management system. Regardless of whether you have just a basic site with only one user, or a community site with hundreds of users, the ability to create and maintain users is key. Drupal provides administrators with a number of options that aid in the management of users, including the ability to customize the information gathered and displayed about the users. The system also allows users to create and manage their own profiles.

In this chapter, I introduce and explain the Drupal user system. The chapter covers basics of user creation and management as well as how to extend the default user profiles and how to implement tracking.

Introducing the User System

Drupal is delivered with only a basic user management system activated, but don't let it fool you. Using only the tools in the default distribution, you can create multiple users, assign roles and permissions, and create customized user profiles. Even if your site has only one user, the administrator, you need to understand how to manage the administrator account and the profile associated with the account. The need for appreciation of the system's inner workings becomes even more compelling as you add users, ...