Linux: Thumbnailers and MIME Types (thumbnail / mimetype) - creating thumbnail images for file manager

Overview

  1. Set the system to detect the MIME type (probably by extension) as a unique file type
  2. Install thumbnail generator script or program
  3. Create a thumbnailer entry for the file manager to run the thumbnail generator script when it sees the unique MIME type

Detecting the MIME type of a file

  • Right-click properties within file manager
  • xdg-mime query filetype <filename>
  • file --mime-type <filename>

References

4 / 2025
thumbnailthumbnailerthumbnailersfile managermimemime typemimetypemime typesmimetypesfreedesktopgnome
Models
Techniques