1-after.php

<?php
//**Most Commented On Posts Loop same as before**/
$args = array(
	'date_query'          => array(
		//set date ranges with strings!
		'after' => '1 week ago',
		'before' => 'today',
		//allow exact matches to be returned
		'inclusive'         => true,
	),
	'orderby' 		=> 'comment_count',
	'order'	 		=> 'DESC',
	'posts_per_page'        => '5',
	'paged'			=> '1',
);
$query = new WP_Query($args);
if ( $query->have_posts() ) :
  while ( $query->have_posts() ) :
    $query->the_post();
    get_template_part( 'content', 'hot' );
  endwhile;
endif;
wp_reset_postdata();

/**Standard WP Loop Cached**/
//loop itself moved to a tempalte part
pods_view( 'loop-main.php', null, HOUR_IN_SECONDS );

//cache sidebar and footer as well
pods_view( 'sidebar.php', null, HOUR_IN_SECONDS);
pods_view( 'footer.php', null, DAY_IN_SECONDS);
    

1-before.php

<?php
//**Most Commented On Posts Loop
$args = array(
	'date_query'          => array(
		//set date ranges with strings!
		'after' => '1 week ago',
		'before' => 'today',
		//allow exact matches to be returned
		'inclusive'         => true,
	),
	'orderby' 		=> 'comment_count',
	'order'	 		=> 'DESC',
	'posts_per_page'        => '5',
	'paged'			=> '1',
);
$query = new WP_Query($args);
if ( $query->have_posts() ) :
  while ( $query->have_posts() ) :
    $query->the_post();
    get_template_part( 'content', 'hot' );
  endwhile;
endif;
wp_reset_postdata();

/**Standard WP Loop**/
if ( have_posts() ) :
  while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
    get_template_part( 'content' get_post_format() );
  endwhile;
endif;

get_sidebar();
get_footer();
    
  

2-after.php

<?php
//check if user is logged in
if ( is_user_logged_in() ) {
  //get current user ID
	$current_user = wp_get_current_user();
	$id = $current_user->ID;
	//get favorite categories
	//Presumes users is extended with 'favorite_category_1' and 'favorite_category_2' fields
	$cat1 = get_user_meta($id, 'favorite_category_1' true);
	$cat2 = get_user_meta($id, 'favorite_category_2' true);
		//skip if both fields are empty
		if ( !empty($cat1) && !empty($cat2) {
			$args = array (
				'relation' => 'OR',
					array(
					  'category_name'   => $cat1,		
					),
					array( 
					  'category_name'  	=> $cat2,		
				)
			);
			$query = new WP_Query($args);
			if ( $query->have_posts() ) :
			  while ( $query->have_posts() ) :
				$query->the_post();
				get_template_part( 'content' get_post_format() );
			  endwhile;
			endif;
			wp_reset_postdata();
	} //endif fields !empty
} //endif user is logged in


/**Standard WP Loop Cached**/
//loop itself moved to a tempalte part
pods_view( 'loop-main.php', null, HOUR_IN_SECONDS );

//cache sidebar and footer as well
pods_view( 'sidebar.php', null, HOUR_IN_SECONDS);
pods_view( 'footer.php', null, DAY_IN_SECONDS);

2-before.php

<?php
//check if user is logged in
if ( is_user_logged_in() ) {
  //get current user ID
	$current_user = wp_get_current_user();
	$id = $current_user->ID;
	//get favorite categories
	//Presumes users is extended with 'favorite_category_1' and 'favorite_category_2' fields
	$cat1 = get_user_meta($id, 'favorite_category_1' true);
	$cat2 = get_user_meta($id, 'favorite_category_2' true);
		//skip if both fields are empty
		if ( !empty($cat1) && !empty($cat2) {
			$args = array (
				'relation' => 'OR',
					array(
					  'category_name'   => $cat1,		
					),
					array( 
					  'category_name'  	=> $cat2,		
				)
			);
			$query = new WP_Query($args);
			if ( $query->have_posts() ) :
			  while ( $query->have_posts() ) :
				$query->the_post();
				get_template_part( 'content' get_post_format() );
			  endwhile;
			endif;
			wp_reset_postdata();
	} //endif fields !empty
} //endif user is logged in

/**Standard WP Loop**/
if ( have_posts() ) :
  while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
    get_template_part( 'content' get_post_format() );
  endwhile;
endif;

get_sidebar();
get_footer();
	

ob-example.php

<?php
//start output buffer
ob_start();
//get file.php which will be stored in the transient cache with a 1 hour expiration time
$content = pods_view( 'file.php', null, HOUR_IN_SECONDS, 'transient', true );
//apply a filter
apply_filter( 'filter_name', $content );
//use str_replace to replace a string stored in options with some other string stored in options
$search = get_option( 'replaced_string');
$replacement = get_option( 'replacement_string');
if ( $search && $replacement != FALSE ) {
  str_replace( $search, $replacement, $content );
}
//output and flush output buffer
ob_end_flush();

pods-example.php

<?php
	//create pods object without find, for now
	$pods = pods('pod_name');
	//check if user is logged in
	if ( is_user_logged_in() ) {
		//get current user ID
		$current_user = wp_get_current_user();
		$id = $current_user->ID;
		//run find to get posts that have value of field related to users equal to current user
		$data = $pods->find(
			'WHERE' => "'related_user.id' = $id ",
			'LIMIT' => 5,
		);
		//Pass $data to a loop in a template without caching, since this is user specific
		pods_view('loop.php', $data, false, false);
		//reset pods object for saftey's sake
		$pods->reset();
	} //endif user is logged in
	//run find again, with no concerne for related user field
	$data = $pods->find( 'LIMIT' => 5 );
	//pass $data to loop template again, this time with caching
	pods_view('loop.php', $data, HOUR_IN_SECONDS, 'transient');
?>