diff --git a/platypush/plugins/inspect/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/inspect/__init__.py
index abac0df1c..025b3be7f 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/inspect/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/inspect/__init__.py
@@ -1,24 +1,36 @@
+from collections import defaultdict
 import importlib
 import inspect
 import json
-import threading
-from typing import Optional
+import os
+import pathlib
+import pickle
+import pkgutil
+from types import ModuleType
+from typing import Callable, Dict, Generator, Optional, Type, Union
 
 from platypush.backend import Backend
 from platypush.config import Config
 from platypush.plugins import Plugin, action
 from platypush.message.event import Event
 from platypush.message.response import Response
-from platypush.utils import get_plugin_class_by_name
+from platypush.utils import (
+    get_backend_class_by_name,
+    get_backend_name_by_class,
+    get_plugin_class_by_name,
+    get_plugin_name_by_class,
+)
 from platypush.utils.manifest import Manifest, scan_manifests
 
+from ._context import ComponentContext
 from ._model import (
     BackendModel,
     EventModel,
+    Model,
     PluginModel,
-    ProcedureEncoder,
     ResponseModel,
 )
+from ._serialize import ProcedureEncoder
 
 
 class InspectPlugin(Plugin):
@@ -28,17 +40,79 @@ class InspectPlugin(Plugin):
 
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self._plugins = {}
-        self._backends = {}
-        self._events = {}
-        self._responses = {}
-        self._plugins_lock = threading.RLock()
-        self._backends_lock = threading.RLock()
-        self._events_lock = threading.RLock()
-        self._responses_lock = threading.RLock()
+        self._components_cache_file = os.path.join(
+            Config.get('workdir'),  # type: ignore
+            'components.cache',  # type: ignore
+        )
+        self._components_context: Dict[type, ComponentContext] = defaultdict(
+            ComponentContext
+        )
+        self._components_cache: Dict[type, dict] = defaultdict(dict)
+        self._load_components_cache()
 
-    def _get_modules(self, parent_class: type):
-        for mf_file in scan_manifests(parent_class):
+    def _load_components_cache(self):
+        """
+        Loads the components cache from disk.
+        """
+        try:
+            with open(self._components_cache_file, 'rb') as f:
+                self._components_cache = pickle.load(f)
+        except OSError:
+            return
+
+    def _flush_components_cache(self):
+        """
+        Flush the current components cache to disk.
+        """
+        with open(self._components_cache_file, 'wb') as f:
+            pickle.dump(self._components_cache, f)
+
+    def _get_cached_component(
+        self, base_type: type, comp_type: type
+    ) -> Optional[Model]:
+        """
+        Retrieve a cached component's ``Model``.
+
+        :param base_type: The base type of the component (e.g. ``Plugin`` or
+            ``Backend``).
+        :param comp_type: The specific type of the component (e.g.
+            ``MusicMpdPlugin`` or ``HttpBackend``).
+        :return: The cached component's ``Model`` if it exists, otherwise null.
+        """
+        return self._components_cache.get(base_type, {}).get(comp_type)
+
+    def _cache_component(
+        self,
+        base_type: type,
+        comp_type: type,
+        model: Model,
+        index_by_module: bool = False,
+    ):
+        """
+        Cache the ``Model`` object for a component.
+
+        :param base_type: The base type of the component (e.g. ``Plugin`` or
+            ``Backend``).
+        :param comp_type: The specific type of the component (e.g.
+            ``MusicMpdPlugin`` or ``HttpBackend``).
+        :param model: The ``Model`` object to cache.
+        :param index_by_module: If ``True``, the ``Model`` object will be
+            indexed according to the ``base_type -> module -> comp_type``
+            mapping, otherwise ``base_type -> comp_type``.
+        """
+        if index_by_module:
+            if not self._components_cache.get(base_type, {}).get(model.package):
+                self._components_cache[base_type][model.package] = {}
+            self._components_cache[base_type][model.package][comp_type] = model
+        else:
+            self._components_cache[base_type][comp_type] = model
+
+    def _scan_integrations(self, base_type: type):
+        """
+        A generator that scans the manifest files given a ``base_type``
+        (``Plugin`` or ``Backend``) and yields the parsed submodules.
+        """
+        for mf_file in scan_manifests(base_type):
             manifest = Manifest.from_file(mf_file)
             try:
                 yield importlib.import_module(manifest.package)
@@ -50,118 +124,242 @@ class InspectPlugin(Plugin):
                 )
                 continue
 
+    def _scan_modules(self, base_type: type) -> Generator[ModuleType, None, None]:
+        """
+        A generator that scan the modules given a ``base_type`` (e.g. ``Event``).
+
+        Unlike :meth:`._scan_integrations`, this method recursively scans the
+        modules using ``pkgutil`` instead of using the information provided in
+        the integrations' manifest files.
+        """
+        prefix = base_type.__module__ + '.'
+        path = str(pathlib.Path(inspect.getfile(base_type)).parent)
+
+        for _, modname, _ in pkgutil.walk_packages(
+            path=[path], prefix=prefix, onerror=lambda _: None
+        ):
+            try:
+                yield importlib.import_module(modname)
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.logger.debug('Could not import module %s: %s', modname, e)
+                continue
+
+    def _init_component(
+        self,
+        base_type: type,
+        comp_type: type,
+        model_type: Type[Model],
+        index_by_module: bool = False,
+    ) -> Model:
+        """
+        Initialize a component's ``Model`` object and cache it.
+
+        :param base_type: The base type of the component (e.g. ``Plugin`` or
+            ``Backend``).
+        :param comp_type: The specific type of the component (e.g.
+            ``MusicMpdPlugin`` or ``HttpBackend``).
+        :param model_type: The type of the ``Model`` object that should be
+            created.
+        :param index_by_module: If ``True``, the ``Model`` object will be
+            indexed according to the ``base_type -> module -> comp_type``
+            mapping, otherwise ``base_type -> comp_type``.
+        :return: The initialized component's ``Model`` object.
+        """
+        prefix = base_type.__module__ + '.'
+        comp_file = inspect.getsourcefile(comp_type)
+        model = None
+        mtime = None
+
+        if comp_file:
+            mtime = os.stat(comp_file).st_mtime
+            cached_model = self._get_cached_component(base_type, comp_type)
+
+            # Only update the component model if its source file was
+            # modified since the last time it was scanned
+            if (
+                cached_model
+                and cached_model.last_modified
+                and mtime <= cached_model.last_modified
+            ):
+                model = cached_model
+
+        if not model:
+            self.logger.info('Scanning component %s', comp_type.__name__)
+            model = model_type(comp_type, prefix=prefix, last_modified=mtime)
+
+        self._cache_component(
+            base_type, comp_type, model, index_by_module=index_by_module
+        )
+        return model
+
+    def _init_modules(
+        self,
+        base_type: type,
+        model_type: Type[Model],
+    ):
+        """
+        Initializes, parses and caches all the components of a given type.
+
+        Unlike :meth:`._scan_integrations`, this method inspects all the
+        members of a ``module`` for those that match the given ``base_type``
+        instead of relying on the information provided in the manifest.
+
+        It is a bit more inefficient, but it works fine for simple components
+        (like entities and messages) that don't require extra recursive parsing
+        logic for their docs (unlike plugins).
+        """
+        for module in self._scan_modules(base_type):
+            for _, obj_type in inspect.getmembers(module):
+                if (
+                    inspect.isclass(obj_type)
+                    and issubclass(obj_type, base_type)
+                    # Exclude the base_type itself
+                    and obj_type != base_type
+                ):
+                    self._init_component(
+                        base_type=base_type,
+                        comp_type=obj_type,
+                        model_type=model_type,
+                        index_by_module=True,
+                    )
+
+    def _init_integrations(
+        self,
+        base_type: Type[Union[Plugin, Backend]],
+        model_type: Type[Union[PluginModel, BackendModel]],
+        class_by_name: Callable[[str], Optional[type]],
+    ):
+        """
+        Initializes, parses and caches all the integrations of a given type.
+
+        :param base_type: The base type of the component (e.g. ``Plugin`` or
+            ``Backend``).
+        :param model_type: The type of the ``Model`` objects that should be
+            created.
+        :param class_by_name: A function that returns the class of a given
+            integration given its qualified name.
+        """
+        for module in self._scan_integrations(base_type):
+            comp_name = '.'.join(module.__name__.split('.')[2:])
+            comp_type = class_by_name(comp_name)
+            if not comp_type:
+                continue
+
+            self._init_component(
+                base_type=base_type,
+                comp_type=comp_type,
+                model_type=model_type,
+            )
+
+        self._flush_components_cache()
+
     def _init_plugins(self):
-        prefix = Plugin.__module__ + '.'
-
-        for module in self._get_modules(Plugin):
-            plugin_name = '.'.join(module.__name__.split('.')[2:])
-            plugin_class = get_plugin_class_by_name(plugin_name)
-            model = PluginModel(plugin=plugin_class, prefix=prefix)
-
-            if model.name:
-                self._plugins[model.name] = model
+        """
+        Initializes and caches all the available plugins.
+        """
+        self._init_integrations(
+            base_type=Plugin,
+            model_type=PluginModel,
+            class_by_name=get_plugin_class_by_name,
+        )
 
     def _init_backends(self):
-        prefix = Backend.__module__ + '.'
-
-        for module in self._get_modules(Backend):
-            for _, obj in inspect.getmembers(module):
-                if inspect.isclass(obj) and issubclass(obj, Backend):
-                    model = BackendModel(backend=obj, prefix=prefix)
-                    if model.name:
-                        self._backends[model.name] = model
+        """
+        Initializes and caches all the available backends.
+        """
+        self._init_integrations(
+            base_type=Backend,
+            model_type=BackendModel,
+            class_by_name=get_backend_class_by_name,
+        )
 
     def _init_events(self):
-        prefix = Event.__module__ + '.'
-
-        for module in self._get_modules(Event):
-            for _, obj in inspect.getmembers(module):
-                if type(obj) == Event:  # pylint: disable=unidiomatic-typecheck
-                    continue
-
-                if inspect.isclass(obj) and issubclass(obj, Event) and obj != Event:
-                    event = EventModel(event=obj, prefix=prefix)
-                    if event.package not in self._events:
-                        self._events[event.package] = {event.name: event}
-                    else:
-                        self._events[event.package][event.name] = event
+        """
+        Initializes and caches all the available events.
+        """
+        self._init_modules(
+            base_type=Event,
+            model_type=EventModel,
+        )
 
     def _init_responses(self):
-        prefix = Response.__module__ + '.'
+        """
+        Initializes and caches all the available responses.
+        """
+        self._init_modules(
+            base_type=Response,
+            model_type=ResponseModel,
+        )
 
-        for module in self._get_modules(Response):
-            for _, obj in inspect.getmembers(module):
-                if type(obj) == Response:  # pylint: disable=unidiomatic-typecheck
-                    continue
-
-                if (
-                    inspect.isclass(obj)
-                    and issubclass(obj, Response)
-                    and obj != Response
-                ):
-                    response = ResponseModel(response=obj, prefix=prefix)
-                    if response.package not in self._responses:
-                        self._responses[response.package] = {response.name: response}
-                    else:
-                        self._responses[response.package][response.name] = response
+    def _init_components(self, base_type: type, initializer: Callable[[], None]):
+        """
+        Context manager boilerplate for the other ``_init_*`` methods.
+        """
+        ctx = self._components_context[base_type]
+        with ctx.init_lock:
+            if not ctx.refreshed.is_set():
+                initializer()
+                ctx.refreshed.set()
 
     @action
     def get_all_plugins(self):
         """
         Get information about all the available plugins.
         """
-        with self._plugins_lock:
-            if not self._plugins:
-                self._init_plugins()
-
-            return json.dumps(
-                {name: dict(plugin) for name, plugin in self._plugins.items()}
-            )
+        self._init_components(Plugin, self._init_plugins)
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                get_plugin_name_by_class(cls): dict(plugin)
+                for cls, plugin in self._components_cache.get(Plugin, {}).items()
+            }
+        )
 
     @action
     def get_all_backends(self):
         """
         Get information about all the available backends.
         """
-        with self._backends_lock:
-            if not self._backends:
-                self._init_backends()
-
-            return json.dumps(
-                {name: dict(backend) for name, backend in self._backends.items()}
-            )
+        self._init_components(Backend, self._init_backends)
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                get_backend_name_by_class(cls): dict(backend)
+                for cls, backend in self._components_cache.get(Backend, {}).items()
+            }
+        )
 
     @action
     def get_all_events(self):
         """
         Get information about all the available events.
         """
-        with self._events_lock:
-            if not self._events:
-                self._init_events()
-
-            return json.dumps(
-                {
-                    package: {name: dict(event) for name, event in events.items()}
-                    for package, events in self._events.items()
+        self._init_components(Event, self._init_events)
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                package: {
+                    obj_type.__name__: dict(event_model)
+                    for obj_type, event_model in events.items()
                 }
-            )
+                for package, events in self._components_cache.get(Event, {}).items()
+            }
+        )
 
     @action
     def get_all_responses(self):
         """
         Get information about all the available responses.
         """
-        with self._responses_lock:
-            if not self._responses:
-                self._init_responses()
-
-            return json.dumps(
-                {
-                    package: {name: dict(event) for name, event in responses.items()}
-                    for package, responses in self._responses.items()
+        self._init_components(Response, self._init_responses)
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                package: {
+                    obj_type.__name__: dict(response_model)
+                    for obj_type, response_model in responses.items()
                 }
-            )
+                for package, responses in self._components_cache.get(
+                    Response, {}
+                ).items()
+            }
+        )
 
     @action
     def get_procedures(self) -> dict:
@@ -181,8 +379,7 @@ class InspectPlugin(Plugin):
         if entry:
             return Config.get(entry)
 
-        cfg = Config.get()
-        return cfg
+        return Config.get()
 
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/inspect/_context.py b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_context.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfed3d3fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_context.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+import threading
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ComponentContext:
+    """
+    This class is used to store the context of a component type.
+    """
+
+    init_lock: threading.RLock = field(default_factory=threading.RLock)
+    refreshed: threading.Event = field(default_factory=threading.Event)
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/inspect/_model.py b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_model.py
index 12824d432..d0f82abf8 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/inspect/_model.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_model.py
@@ -1,90 +1,131 @@
-from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 import inspect
 import json
 import re
+from typing import Optional, Type
 
+from platypush.backend import Backend
+from platypush.message.event import Event
+from platypush.message.response import Response
+from platypush.plugins import Plugin
 from platypush.utils import get_decorators
 
 
-class Model(ABC):
+class Model:
+    """
+    Base class for component models.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        obj_type: type,
+        name: Optional[str] = None,
+        doc: Optional[str] = None,
+        prefix: str = '',
+        last_modified: Optional[float] = None,
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        :param obj_type: Type of the component.
+        :param name: Name of the component.
+        :param doc: Documentation of the component.
+        :param last_modified: Last modified timestamp of the component.
+        """
+        self._obj_type = obj_type
+        self.package = obj_type.__module__[len(prefix) :]
+        self.name = name or self.package
+        self.doc = doc or obj_type.__doc__
+        self.last_modified = last_modified
+
     def __str__(self):
+        """
+        :return: JSON string representation of the model.
+        """
         return json.dumps(dict(self), indent=2, sort_keys=True)
 
     def __repr__(self):
+        """
+        :return: JSON string representation of the model.
+        """
         return json.dumps(dict(self))
 
-    @abstractmethod
-    def __iter__(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError()
-
-
-class ProcedureEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
-    def default(self, o):
-        if callable(o):
-            return {
-                'type': 'native_function',
-            }
-
-        return super().default(o)
-
-
-class BackendModel(Model):
-    def __init__(self, backend, prefix=''):
-        self.name = backend.__module__[len(prefix) :]
-        self.doc = backend.__doc__
-
     def __iter__(self):
+        """
+        Iterator for the model public attributes/values pairs.
+        """
         for attr in ['name', 'doc']:
             yield attr, getattr(self, attr)
 
 
+# pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
+class BackendModel(Model):
+    """
+    Model for backend components.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, obj_type: Type[Backend], *args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(obj_type, *args, **kwargs)
+
+
+# pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
 class PluginModel(Model):
-    def __init__(self, plugin, prefix=''):
-        self.name = re.sub(r'\._plugin$', '', plugin.__module__[len(prefix) :])
-        self.doc = plugin.__doc__
+    """
+    Model for plugin components.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, obj_type: Type[Plugin], prefix: str = '', **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(
+            obj_type,
+            name=re.sub(r'\._plugin$', '', obj_type.__module__[len(prefix) :]),
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+
         self.actions = {
-            action_name: ActionModel(getattr(plugin, action_name))
-            for action_name in get_decorators(plugin, climb_class_hierarchy=True).get(
+            action_name: ActionModel(getattr(obj_type, action_name))
+            for action_name in get_decorators(obj_type, climb_class_hierarchy=True).get(
                 'action', []
             )
         }
 
     def __iter__(self):
+        """
+        Overrides the default implementation of ``__iter__`` to also include
+        plugin actions.
+        """
         for attr in ['name', 'actions', 'doc']:
             if attr == 'actions':
                 yield attr, {
                     name: dict(action) for name, action in self.actions.items()
-                },
+                }
             else:
                 yield attr, getattr(self, attr)
 
 
 class EventModel(Model):
-    def __init__(self, event, prefix=''):
-        self.package = event.__module__[len(prefix) :]
-        self.name = event.__name__
-        self.doc = event.__doc__
+    """
+    Model for event components.
+    """
 
-    def __iter__(self):
-        for attr in ['name', 'doc']:
-            yield attr, getattr(self, attr)
+    def __init__(self, obj_type: Type[Event], **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(obj_type, **kwargs)
 
 
 class ResponseModel(Model):
-    def __init__(self, response, prefix=''):
-        self.package = response.__module__[len(prefix) :]
-        self.name = response.__name__
-        self.doc = response.__doc__
+    """
+    Model for response components.
+    """
 
-    def __iter__(self):
-        for attr in ['name', 'doc']:
-            yield attr, getattr(self, attr)
+    def __init__(self, obj_type: Type[Response], **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(obj_type, **kwargs)
 
 
 class ActionModel(Model):
-    def __init__(self, action):
-        self.name = action.__name__
-        self.doc, argsdoc = self._parse_docstring(action.__doc__)
+    """
+    Model for plugin action components.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, action, **kwargs):
+        doc, argsdoc = self._parse_docstring(action.__doc__)
+        super().__init__(action, name=action.__name__, doc=doc, **kwargs)
+
         self.args = {}
         self.has_kwargs = False
 
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/inspect/_serialize.py b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_serialize.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a57c7cf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/plugins/inspect/_serialize.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import json
+
+
+class ProcedureEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
+    """
+    Encoder for the Procedure model.
+    """
+
+    def default(self, o):
+        if callable(o):
+            return {
+                'type': 'native_function',
+                'source': f'{o.__module__}.{o.__name__}',
+            }
+
+        return super().default(o)
diff --git a/platypush/utils/__init__.py b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
index fb68bc98b..56dc6a508 100644
--- a/platypush/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
@@ -73,6 +73,17 @@ def get_plugin_module_by_name(plugin_name):
         return None
 
 
+def get_backend_module_by_name(backend_name):
+    """Gets the module of a backend by name (e.g. "backend.http" or "backend.mqtt")"""
+
+    module_name = 'platypush.backend.' + backend_name
+    try:
+        return importlib.import_module('platypush.backend.' + backend_name)
+    except ImportError as e:
+        logger.error('Cannot import %s: %s', module_name, e)
+        return None
+
+
 def get_plugin_class_by_name(plugin_name):
     """Gets the class of a plugin by name (e.g. "music.mpd" or "media.vlc")"""
 
@@ -110,6 +121,34 @@ def get_plugin_name_by_class(plugin) -> Optional[str]:
     return '.'.join(class_tokens)
 
 
+def get_backend_class_by_name(backend_name: str):
+    """Gets the class of a backend by name (e.g. "backend.http" or "backend.mqtt")"""
+
+    module = get_backend_module_by_name(backend_name)
+    if not module:
+        return
+
+    class_name = getattr(
+        module,
+        ''.join(
+            [
+                token.capitalize()
+                for i, token in enumerate(backend_name.split('.'))
+                if not (i == 0 and token == 'backend')
+            ]
+        )
+        + 'Backend',
+    )
+    try:
+        return getattr(
+            module,
+            ''.join([_.capitalize() for _ in backend_name.split('.')]) + 'Backend',
+        )
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error('Cannot import class %s: %s', class_name, e)
+        return None
+
+
 def get_backend_name_by_class(backend) -> Optional[str]:
     """Gets the common name of a backend (e.g. "http" or "mqtt") given its class."""