How to configuring deep linking in iOS app

A Comprehensive Guide to Setting Up Deep Linking in Your iOS App

Deep linking in iOS apps enables users to seamlessly navigate to specific content within your app, enhancing user engagement and providing a cohesive user experience. This user guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up deep linking in your iOS app, including the creation of the required apple-app-site-association file.

What is Deep Linking?

Deep linking allows you to use URLs to link directly to specific pages or content within your mobile app. Instead of launching the app's home screen, deep links can take users to specific content, such as a particular product page, user profile, or section within your app.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Deep Linking

Step 1: Create the apple-app-site-association File

The apple-app-site-association file is a crucial part of enabling deep linking in your iOS app. This file is structured similarly to JSON but is not JSON formatted. Follow these steps to create the file:

Define the "applinks" key with an array of apps and details.
Specify the "details" key within "applinks".
Provide the "appID" with your app's bundle identifier.
List the paths corresponding to the content you wish to link to in your app.

Here is an example of what the file should look like:

{
    "applinks": {
        "apps": [],
        "details": [
            {
                "appID": "124XXX22A.com.example.myapp",
                "paths": [
                    "/path/to/content",
                    "/another/path"
                ]
            }
        ]
    }
}

Note: The appID is a unique identifier for your mobile app. It is a combination of your "Team ID" and the app’s "Bundle ID". Both details are available in the Apple Developer Account.

Step 2: Host the apple-app-site-association File

After creating the apple-app-site-association file, you need to host it on your website. This can be done in one of the following locations:

https://<yourdomain.com>/apple-app-site-association
https://<yourdomain.com>/.well-known/apple-app-site-association

Ensure that the file is accessible from these URLs so that Apple's systems can verify and validate the deep linking setup.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively set up deep linking in your iOS app. This will allow users to seamlessly transition from web links to specific content within your app, improving user engagement and providing a more integrated user experience.

For more detailed information, refer to Apple's Universal Links documentation.