What is a Plugin in Strapi 5?

In Strapi 5, a plugin is an extension that allows you to add custom features or extend the existing functionality of Strapi. Plugins can modify the core behavior of the application, such as adding new routes, controllers, services, or even customizing the admin panel.

Why Use a Plugin for File Downloads?

In Strapi, the upload plugin is responsible for managing the assets in the media library. However, if your files are stored in an external service (like an S3 bucket or a custom API), you might need to download and preview files directly from that service.

A custom plugin helps to:

• Seamlessly integrate external file storage with Strapi’s media library.
• Allow the preview of files (such as images or documents) directly within the Strapi admin interface.
• Handle authentication and access control when fetching files from external APIs.
• Ensure files are displayed with proper URLs, even if they are stored in remote locations.

By implementing a custom plugin, you can control how files are fetched and previewed, ensuring a smooth experience for content editors using the Strapi admin panel.

Use Case: Handling File Previews from External APIs

In this project, the custom provider fetches files from a Finlex S3 service. The files are stored externally, so when a user tries to preview a file in the Strapi asset manager, the plugin ensures that the file is securely retrieved using an API call.

This approach is necessary because:

• Files are not stored locally on the Strapi server but in a remote service.
• The preview feature in Strapi’s media library needs access to authenticated endpoints to fetch and display files.
• The plugin handles authentication, file retrieval, and integration with the media library seamlessly.

By using this custom plugin, you ensure that your content editors can manage files stored in external systems as if they were stored locally in Strapi.