Per plugin prefs file is automatically managed (created, loaded, updated).
So this means that I don't have to worry about blowing changes up to the server. I think this is the critical bit that I didn't understand. In testing, I would make a change to the self.pluginPrefs() dict and then take a look at the *.indiPref file and the change wouldn't be reflected there. If I opened the plugin configuration dialog and saved, then the change would appear in the *indiPref file. I know that the new value is still in self.pluginPrefs(), but I'd like to ensure that the new value gets blown down to the *indiPref file for 'permanent' storage such that the change won't be lost if there's a plugin shutdown, restart or whatnot. It doesn't appear that there's a way to force that to happen like there is with *.replacePluginPropsOnServer().
When is the *indiPref file itself updated by the server?
Am I being too cautious?