Per-Instance On-Model M2M Caching

If you are like me and you find yourself often using M2M fields for tons of other on-model methods, in templates, and views alike, try using this quick and dirty caching. I show the use of a "through" model for the m2m, but that is purely optional. For example, let's say we need to do several different things with our list of beads, the old way is...

# views.py
necklace = Necklace.objects.get(id=1)
bead = Bead.objects.get(id=1)

if bead in necklace.beads.all():
    # this bead is here!


# template necklace.html
{% for bead in necklace.beads.all %}
    <li>{{ bead }}</li>
{% endfor %}

...which would hit the database twice. Instead, we do this:

# views.py
necklace = Necklace.objects.get(id=1)
bead = Bead.objects.get(id=1)

if bead in necklace.get_beads():
    # this bead is here!


# template necklace.html
{% for bead in necklace.get_beads %}
    <li>{{ bead }}</li>
{% endfor %}

Which only does one hit on the database. While we could have easily set the m2m query to a variable and passed it to the template to do the same thing, the great thing is how you can build extra methods on the model that use the m2m field but share the cache with anyone down the line using the same m2m field.

I'm by no means an expert, so if there is something here I've done foolishly, let me know.