development
Deep Linking
A technique that uses URLs to link directly to a specific screen, feature, or piece of content within a mobile app rather than just opening the app's home screen.
Deep linking connects the web and mobile app worlds by allowing URLs to open specific locations inside an app. Instead of sending a user to the App Store or to your app’s home screen, a deep link takes them directly to a product page, article, user profile, or any other screen.
Types of Deep Links
Basic deep links use custom URL schemes (e.g., yourapp://product/123). They only work if the app is already installed. If the app is not installed, the link fails.
Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android) are verified deep links that use standard HTTPS URLs. If the app is installed, the link opens the app. If not, the link opens the web page as a fallback. This is the preferred approach for modern apps.
Deferred deep links remember the intended destination even when the app is not yet installed. The user clicks the link, gets sent to the store to install, and after installation the app opens to the originally intended screen.
Deep Linking and ASO
Deep links are foundational to App Clip and Instant App experiences. Every App Clip invocation and every Instant App launch starts with a deep link URL. The quality of your URL structure and routing logic determines whether users land on the right screen with the right context.
Deep linking also affects attribution and analytics. When you share App Clip URLs with UTM parameters in marketing campaigns, deep linking delivers those parameters to your app code, enabling precise measurement of which channels drive the most engagement.
Implementation
Deep link handling requires parsing the incoming URL in your app code and routing to the correct screen based on the path and query parameters. On iOS, this happens in the application(_:open:options:) method or the SceneDelegate’s scene(_:continue:) method. On Android, it is handled through intent filters in the AndroidManifest.