In what ways can a PHP developer optimize code efficiency and performance when working with online user status in a forum setting?

To optimize code efficiency and performance when working with online user status in a forum setting, a PHP developer can implement caching mechanisms to reduce database queries, utilize efficient algorithms for user status updates, and minimize unnecessary code execution.

// Example code snippet for optimizing online user status in a forum setting

// Check if user is online based on last activity timestamp
function isUserOnline($last_activity_timestamp, $online_threshold = 300) {
    $current_timestamp = time();
    return ($current_timestamp - $last_activity_timestamp) <= $online_threshold;
}

// Example usage
$user_last_activity_timestamp = 1631731200; // Assuming last activity timestamp for user
if(isUserOnline($user_last_activity_timestamp)) {
    echo "User is online";
} else {
    echo "User is offline";
}