Opening local applications from browsers

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting, by a first application hosted by a local device, a user interface associated with the first application, the user interface identifying one or more documents each associated with a file stored on a server;

receiving, by the first application and via the user interface associated with the first application, a request to open a document of the one or more identified documents, the document being specified by a user via the user interface associated with the first application, the document having a document identifier and associated with a first file stored on a server, the request comprising the document identifier; and

communicating, by the first application, the request to open the document associated with the first file to a second application hosted by the local device,

wherein the first application is a browser application or a browser extension hosted by the local device and the second application is a local application different from the bowser application,

wherein the second application has access to local information about a plurality of document processing applications installed on the local device,

wherein the second application obtains information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications that are on the local device and are capable of opening a second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server, wherein the second file is stored on the local device and has the same document identifier as the requested document, the second file being a local copy of the first file stored on the server; and

wherein the request, received via the user interface associated with the first application, to open the document associated with the first file results in the identified document processing application opening locally the second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications is created based on a contents file that stores a list of local application identifiers corresponding to a plurality of document processing applications that are installed on the local device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected document processing application opens the second file based on a received message that comprises an application identifier associated with the second application.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a hash based on at least one pre-shared key to determine the user is authorized to access the second file.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hash is computed based at least in part on at least one nonce.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to open the document specified by the user comprises a user identifier.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the identified document processing application is selected by the first application using the list of local application identifiers.

8. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device, coupled to the memory, to:

present, by a first application hosted by a local device, a user interface associated with the first application, the user interface identifying one or more documents each associated with a file stored on a server;

receive, by the first application and via the user interface associated with the first application, a request to open a document of the one or more identified documents, the document being specified by a user via the user interface associated with the first application, the document having a document identifier and associated with a first file stored on a server, the request comprising the document identifier; and

communicate, by the first application, the request to open the document associated with the first file to a second application hosted by the local device,

wherein the first application is a browser application or a browser extension hosted by the local device and the second application is a local application different from the bowser application,

wherein the second application has access to local information about a plurality of document processing applications installed on the local device,

wherein the second application obtains information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications that are on the local device and are capable of opening a second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server, wherein the second file is stored on the local device and has the same document identifier as the requested document, the second file being a local copy of the first file stored on the server; and

wherein the request, received via the user interface associated with the first application, to open the document associated with the first file results in the identified document processing application opening locally the second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications is created based on a contents file that stores a list of local application identifiers corresponding to a plurality of document processing applications that are installed on the local device.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the selected document processing application opens the second file based on a received message that comprises an application identifier associated with the second application.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processing device is further to generate a hash based on at least one pre-shared key to determine the user is authorized to access the second file.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the hash is computed based at least in part on at least one nonce.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the request to open the document specified by the user comprises a user identifier.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting, by a first application hosted by a local device, a user interface associated with the first application, the user interface identifying one or more documents each associated with a file stored on a server;

receiving, by the first application and via the user interface associated with the first application, a request to open a document of the one or more identified documents, the document being specified by a user via the user interface associated with the first application, the document having a document identifier and associated with a first file stored on a server, the request comprising the document identifier; and

communicating, by the first application, the request to open the document associated with the first file to a second application hosted by the local device,

wherein the first application is a browser application or a browser extension hosted by the local device and the second application is a local application different from the bowser application,

wherein the second application has access to local information about a plurality of document processing applications installed on the local device,

wherein the second application obtains information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications that are on the local device and are capable of opening a second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server, wherein the second file is stored on the local device and has the same document identifier as the requested document, the second file being a local copy of the first file stored on the server; and

wherein the request, received via the user interface associated with the first application, to open the document associated with the first file results in the identified document processing application opening locally the second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications is created based on a contents file that stores a list of local application identifiers corresponding to a plurality of document processing applications that are installed on the local device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the selected document processing application opens the second file based on a received message that comprises an application identifier associated with the second application.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a hash based on at least one pre-shared key to determine the user is authorized to access the second file.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the hash is computed based at least in part on at least one nonce.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the request to open the document specified by the user comprises a user identifier.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the identified document processing application is selected by the first application using the list of local application identifiers.