Creating a custom authentication backend for Django is actually quite easy.

What might they be used for?

• E-mail based usernames
• Third party authentication - ie Facebook, Other Web Service, POP3/IMAP, LDAP

For this tutorial I will create a IMAP authentication backend which allows checking a username and password against an E-mail server - perfect if you are writing your own webmail client or address book.

1. What is an Authentication Backend?
2. Creating a Simple Authentication Backend
3. Creating the IMAP Authentication Backend