SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-CONTEXT APPLICATIONS

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a context selected by a user;

retrieving, by the processor, context-specific metadata from a context data structure;

loading, by the processor, at least one application for the context, the at least one application being identified in the context data structure;

rendering a user interface for the context, the user interface including at least one selectable user interface element for selecting the at least one application;

based on a determination that the at least one selectable user interface element is selected, passing the retrieved context-specific metadata to the at least one application for use in retrieving context-related data; and

receiving the context-related data via the at least one application.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the context displays at least one content item, and wherein the context-related data comprises a content item of the at least one content item.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application comprises at least one plug-in application.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one application is configured to communicate with a content source.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising registering the at least one application with the context.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the context-specific metadata includes an identifier used by the at least one application to retrieve the context-related data.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the identifier is a content identifier, and wherein the context-related data is a content item.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising based on a determination that the user has selected a new context, repeating the identifying, the retrieving, the loading, the rendering, the passing, and the receiving steps for the new context.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising registering the identified context.

10 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:

identifying a context selected by a user;

retrieving context-specific metadata from a context data structure;

loading at least one application for the context, the at least one application being identified in the context data structure;

rendering a user interface for the context, the user interface including at least one selectable user interface element for selecting the at least one application;

based on a determination that the at least one selectable user interface element is selected, passing the retrieved context-specific metadata to the at least one application for use in retrieving context-related data; and

receiving the context-related data via the at least one application.

11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the context displays at least one content item, and wherein the context-related data comprises a content item of the at least one content item.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one application comprises at least one plug-in application.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each of the at least one application is configured to communicate with a content source.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising registering the at least one application with the context.

15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the context-specific metadata includes an identifier used by the at least one application to retrieve the context-related data.

16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the identifier is a content identifier, and wherein the context-related data is a content item.

17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising based on a determination that the user has selected a new context, repeating the identifying, the retrieving, the loading, the rendering, the passing, and the receiving steps for the new context.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising registering the identified context.

19 . A system, comprising:

a processor-implemented context handler module configured to identify a context selected by a user;

a processor-implemented database interface module configured to retrieve context-specific metadata from a context data structure associated with the context identified by the processor-implemented context handler module;

a processor-implemented plug-in engine configured to load at least one application for the context, the at least one application being identified in the context data structure; and

a processor-implemented user interface rendering module configured to render a user interface for the context, the user interface including at least one selectable user interface element for selecting the at least one application,

the processor-implemented context handler module passing the retrieved context-specific metadata to the at least one application for use in retrieving context-related data based on a determination that the at least one selectable user interface element is selected.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the context displays at least one content item, and wherein the context-related data comprises a content item of the at least one content item.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one application comprises at least one plug-in application.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein each of the at least one application is configured to communicate with a content source.

23 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor-implemented plug-in engine is further configured to register the at least one application with the context.

24 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the context-specific metadata includes an identifier used by the at least one application to retrieve the context-related data.

25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the identifier is a content identifier, and wherein the context-related data is a content item.

26 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor-implemented context handler module is further configured to register the identified context.

27 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating a user interface for a context, the context associated with at least one content item;

loading at least one plug-in application in the user interface, the at least one application represented in the user interface by a corresponding at least one selectable user interface element;

responsive to a selection of a selectable user interface element, communicating with a content source over a network via the at least one application, the at least one application transmitting a content identifier and metadata associated with the at least one content item to the content source; and

receiving, by the at least one plug-in application, the at least one content item from the content source.