• Set VARCACHEPLUGIN_REFRESH = 24

To learn how this is done, use the TWiki:Plugins.VarCachePlugin documentation and Perl plugin code as a reference.

2. Use configure settings:

The administrator can set plugin settings in the configure interface. Recommended if only site administrators should be able to change settings. Chose this option to set sensitive or dangerous system settings, such as passwords or path to executables. To define plugin-specific configure settings,

• Create a Config.spec file in lib/TWiki/Plugins/YourPlugin/ with variables, such as
  $TWiki::cfg{Plugins}{RecentVisitorPlugin}{ShowIP} = 0;
• In the plugin, use those those variables, such as
  $showIP = $TWiki::cfg{Plugins}{RecentVisitorPlugin}{ShowIP} || 0;

To learn how this is done, use the TWiki:Plugins.RecentVisitorPlugin documentation and Perl plugin code as a reference.

In either case, define a SHORTDESCRIPTION setting in two places:

• As a setting in the plugin documentation, which is needed for the extension reports on twiki.org. Example:
  
  • Set SHORTDESCRIPTION = Show recent visitors to a TWiki site
• As a global Perl package variable in the plugin package, which is needed by TWiki to show info on installed plugins. Example:
  our $SHORTDESCRIPTION = 'Show recent visitors to a TWiki site';

For better performance, make sure you define this in the plugin package:
our $NO_PREFS_IN_TOPIC = 1;

• All but the initPlugin are commented out. To enable a callback, remove the leading # from all lines of the callback.

• Avoid using preferences in the plugin topic; Define $NO_PREFS_IN_TOPIC in your plugin package as that will stop TWiki from reading the plugin topic for every page. Use Config.spec or preferences settings instead. (See details).
• Use registered tag handlers.
• Measure the performance to see the difference.