I think that would be better if the edit was saved in an xmp file which could be compatible with PL, so that could save the extra file size from your folders.
I agree with that. It would be great if the NIK plugins will work like a layer maybe the same as the local adjustments and the edits are saved the the .dop file. I think that’s a huge step and makes PL more a Photoshop tool than a RAW converter. I don know if that’s a good direction to invest the scarce development resources.