Deep links

Deep links make your links open your app directly when it's installed, on the right screen. Apple and Google only do this after checking a file on your link domain that names your app. Dropplink generates and hosts both files from your project details; you add the domain to your app once.

Android: App Links#

1. Add your signing certificates

   In Settings → Project details, add your app's SHA-256 certificate fingerprints. Find them in Play Console → Test and release → App integrity → App signing key certificate. Until you add them, assetlinks.json is empty and Android won't open your app from links.

2. Add the intent filter

   In AndroidManifest.xml, inside your launcher activity:

   <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
       <data android:scheme="https" android:host="go.yourbrand.com" />
   </intent-filter>

3. Ship a release

   Android verifies the domain when the app is installed or updated.

Dropplink hosts the file at https://go.yourbrand.com/.well-known/assetlinks.json:

[
  {
    "relation": ["delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"],
    "target": {
      "namespace": "android_app",
      "package_name": "com.yourbrand.app",
      "sha256_cert_fingerprints": ["14:6D:E9:…:44:E5"]
    }
  }
]

iOS: Universal Links#

1. Check your Team ID and bundle ID

   They're in Settings → Project details. Your Team ID is in Apple Developer → Membership.

2. Add Associated Domains

   In Xcode, under Signing & Capabilities, add the Associated Domains capability with the entry applinks:go.yourbrand.com.

3. Ship a release

   iOS fetches the file when the app is installed or updated.

Dropplink hosts the file at https://go.yourbrand.com/.well-known/apple-app-site-association. It opens every path in your app except /.well-known/*:

{
  "applinks": {
    "apps": [],
    "details": [
      {
        "appID": "ABCDE12345.com.yourbrand.app",
        "appIDs": ["ABCDE12345.com.yourbrand.app"],
        "paths": ["NOT /.well-known/*", "*"],
        "components": [{ "/": "/.well-known/*", "exclude": true }, { "/": "*" }]
      }
    ]
  }
}