Patent attributes
This description relates to systems, methods and software architectures for providing previews of files, such as previews of content of the files without launching the applications which created those files. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first call, through a first API to obtain a preview of content of a file, the first call being made by a first application program and being received by a preview generator daemon, and generating a request to obtain a first plug-in from a set of plug-ins, the first plug-in being configured to process a file type of the file to produce content in a format which can be displayed by the first application program. Other methods, systems, computer readable media and software architectures are disclosed.