you can also add user fields in a plugin and control how and whether those fields are added to the serializer to display them.
Does this include adding them to the “create account” modal form, and making them required? Can you point me toward any examples or guides for how to do this?
I’ve already read the entire guide that you linked to “Developing Discourse Plugins.” That’s where I started. In the end the only real functionality it shows how to extend is creating a new admin page with a purple tentacle. I already have an admin page working for my plugin, but I’m not even sure I will need one. It’s unrelated to the current problems in front of me, so their example isn’t very helpful for my case.