How to use JCache?

[Mike Pearl]

I'm calling an api and making the very same call frequently, but the data doesn't change very often.

How can I use JCache to avoid duplicate api calls?  Can someone please provide sample code?

Thanks!

Mike

[Omar Ramos]

Hi Mike,

Here's a pattern I've been using in my plugin for some time (this caches whatever variable you'd like):

// Initialize the output variable

$output = '';

// This will retrieve the data in the cache until it expires:

$cache = JFactory::getCache('com_example', '');

if ((int) $this->params->get('cache', 0))

{

  $cache->setCaching(true);

    $cache->setLifeTime((int) $this->params->get('cache_lifetime', 86400));

    // Create a Cache ID that makes sense for your data (in my case I was caching on the list of provided Category IDs for the current User...your criteria will likely be different):

    $userId = JFactory::getUser()->id;

    $cacheid = md5($catids.$userId);

  $output = $cache->get($cacheid);

}

if (empty($output))

{

    // You can build up your variable or do your API call in here:

    $output = $api->getData();

    // Then store data in the cache:

    if ((int) $this->params->get('cache', 0))

    {

  $cache->store($output, $cacheid);

    }

}

I hope this helps!

-Omar

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[Mike Pearl]

Thanks so much Omar, this is a tremendous help!

One follow up question, does the cache last beyond the session?  In your example, you set the cache for 24 hours.  If the user logs off, then logs back in 23 hours later, will the cache data be available?

Thanks!

[Michael Richey]

Great example Omar - 2 years later, still useful.

Thank you!