I am implementing Deep linking and App Indexing for the first time, its just a month ago it was launched for public use so lack of help online. I have read all available resources, but there are still some problems.
I am clear about things like, Deep linking should be implemented before App indexing, it should implemented android-app//com.example.com schema and many other.
So here the puzzle begins:
Confusions with Deep linking: Google is offering two URL patterns:
http://www.example.com/path/to/something
android-app://com.example.com/example/path/to/something
So almost in every example, I've found they have used both patterns. But for App Indexing only 2nd one is required.
But I know if I implement 1st one as well, it will open my app on normal web link as well. I don't know if this is good do or not?
Another problem with Deep linking, there are many browsers out there(Opera, UC) or Android OS which does't support 2nd format of URI, they simply trigger google search.
So what is the way to make none deep link supported browser to handle this uri: android-app://com.example.com/example/path/to/something?
Note: I will be using this URI Format to open my app from website: android-app://com.example.com/example/path/to/something, so problem is to handle when this url format is not support.
As far as I understand, you can use custom schemes and/or HTTP schemes for your deep links. What you should not do is to duplicate the deep link destination between the different schemes.
You can find an article regarding App Indexing best practices here (https://developer.android.com/training/app-indexing/index.html) and here (http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/android-app-indexing-is-now-open-for.html).
Related
I want to create a dynamic link with two different original links.
One original link for Android, e.g: android://mePage/account
One original link for ios, e.g: https://mePage/account
From the docs of Firebase Dynamic-Links, I found there is a optional parameter al, and al=android_link.
So I create a Dynamic Link by manually constructing a URL:
https://myapp.app.goo.gl/?link=https://mePage/account&al=android://mePage/account
But maybe I misunderstand, it doesn't work.I have no way to resolve the android link from the al key.
So:
What does the al parameter really mean?
Any way I can acquire the parameter?
If it does not work, is there any way I can create a Dynamic Link with two different links?
There is a image to show what I saw.
And I found some extra information from another page.
There is no al parameter, did you meant afl? afl specifies the link, where navigation will happens if your App is not installed on Android. So that instead of navigating to PlayStore you can navigate to your page.
Answering your question about Android and iOS specific deep links: we do not have such feature. The same deep link will be passed to Android and iOS Apps.
If you want to separate the data for your Apps, you can use deep link constructed like this:
https://mePage/account?ios=<ios specific base64 data>&android=<android specific base64 data>
Than you can wrap this deep link inside Firebase Dynamic Link.
Not sure this provide enought value, but I do not know your requirements.
If you feel that you need this feature and Firebase Dynamic Links do not support it, feel free to open support ticket or describe your use case here. We always open to improvements and new feature suggestions.
Update
For those who are still looking like me,
as per the docs, https://firebase.google.com/docs/dynamic-links/create-manually
You can specify a different fallback link for IOS/Android using IFL/AFL params.
ifl
The link to open when the app isn't installed. Specify this to do
something other than install your app from the App Store when the app
isn't installed, such as open the mobile web version of the content,
or display a promotional page for your app.
afl
The link to open when the app isn't installed. Specify this to do
something other than install your app from the Play Store when the app
isn't installed, such as open the mobile web version of the content,
or display a promotional page for your app.
Can anyone explain in real life example what is the difference between
App Links - https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/deep-linking.html
Deep links - https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/index.html
App Indexing - https://developer.android.com/studio/write/app-link-indexing.html
in Android?
Have read too many posts and documentations, but still cannot get the exact gist.
I understand that App links works with Android 6.0 and Deep Links with 4.2. but in performance, they are doing the similar task.
App Indexing allows Google to crawl your app content (as it would on a website).
Deep Links vs Android App Links:
App Links are just deep links that have been verified for a website, AND allows opening URLs in the associated app directly without asking the user to select the app (via the disambiguation dialog). With App Links, your app designates itself as the default handler of a given type of link (though the user can override it from device system settings)
A nice overview of the differences is at https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/verify-site-associations?authuser=0
Also see comparison table below, lifted from the above link at the time of writing
If you have an app or are developing an app, app indexation and deep
linking are things you definitely need to be paying attention to.
Basically, Google wants to treat your app like a website. It wants to
crawl it and index it so that search results can return specific pages
from an app in mobile searches. That ability to return specific pages
within an app? That’s deep linking.
What is Deep Linking?
Deep linking, in a general sense, involves linking to specific content
within a website or app, rather than to the homepage. Here we’re
talking in particular about getting specific elements of an app to
show up in search results on a mobile device, allowing users to open
an app directly from a search results page. Note: Users will only see
this prompt if they have the particular app installed.
Photo:
What Is App Indexing?
App indexing is the result of getting your app in Google’s index to
enable deep linking. By allowing Google to index pages within your
app, features (or promotions) within the app can begin showing up in
users’ mobile searches, driving visits (and hopefully conversions) to
the app.
What is an App Linking with the example of Facebook
When someone shares content from within an app that has Facebook App
Links applied, anyone clicking on that link will be able to access
that content through the app. This can be done using an app
alternative to existing web content, or app-only content, and works
either from ‘web to app’ or ‘app to app’. The feature works with
Android, iOS and Windows phones
Photo:
I have read about App Indexing and Deep Linking for android apps.
As far as I can find both are the same and deep linking is much easier since it just requires to add an intent filter in the Manifest.xml file.
So why do I need to use app indexing?
What makes it different from deep linking?
A different way of coding(android) is required to implement
Fire Base App Indexing
Here is a link that guides about Fire Base App Indexing:
https://firebase.google.com/docs/app-indexing/
Is that necessary?
App Indexing actually uses deeplink kind method but helps you to achieve different goal. In a simple business scenario you would want if user searches for your business from mobile browser he should get app link and that link open different screens for different urls (search keywords). As you can see post so far talks about keywords, searches that means App Indexing is more about search engine optimization keeping mobile apps in mind and App Search Optimization too.
About deeplinks they are simple urls (or url set) that we define in our app and tell mobile system that if matching url is clicked our App can also handle it.
In case of deeplink there can be several apps claiming to open same
url but app indexing result will open only your app.
I hope this answer clarifies things well.
In simple words:
App Indexing is to make app searchable from google.
Deep Linking is to open the app activities by an url.
They are different but related things which complement each other. Both work together to make your app content searchable.
Deep linking is the part where you add filters in your app manifest to make your app content searchable. App indexing is the other part where you add link elements in your app's sitemap or in the header segment of each webpage corresponding to your app content (indicated by the filters you added as part of deep linking). GoogleBot (Google crawler bot) connects both the dots and create searchable index for your app. In order for your app content to appear in Google public search results, deep linking and app indexing has to work hand in hand.
More on this in case you haven't gone through it - https://developer.android.com/training/app-indexing/index.html
I want to support deeplinking on clicking on the link shared in any social app. There is a separate steps to support deeplinking from facebook, twitter and Google +. There might be support available for some other apps, but not for all the apps. I want to make it generic. Is there a way to that. I must use meta tags for deeplinking. But for deeplinking, twitter has used googleplay and facebook has used al:android:url to detect our app. If I want to support for other apps , I must use similar tags like this. Does anyone know how this can be achieved ?
Thanks in Advance
...and to make matters worse, Facebook doesn't really support their own AppLinks standard anymore, Google uses two totally different systems depending on whether you're using the standalone Chrome browser or not, and App Links (yes, they're different from AppLinks) are now a thing. You're right: app deep linking is an incredible, huge pain to implement and there truly is no 'generic' option at the moment.
This is why Branch.io (full disclosure, in case it wasn't obvious by now: I'm on the team) exists. We wrap all of these different standards into a single free service, so that all you worry about is one URL that works everywhere. It's the closest you can get to a 'generic standard' with the current realities.
Is there any documentation on principles behind using URIs on Android platform? For example, I have an application that allows user to read particular forums. It has a couple of activities - one for viewing list of forums, one for viewing list of threads, one for viewing list of posts, etc.
I'd like to use a hierarchical URI in my activities' intents to indicate what an activity should display. Is it a good idea? If so, what is the best way to formulate those URIs?
For example, should I use my own scheme like myforums: or content: scheme?
Use standard http URIs for viewing public web content and set up your intent filter based on the host/path. Some illustrations of this include Android Market, which will open links to apps on http://market.android.com while the site itself will open in any browser. The YouTube app will open direct links to videos as well.
Using http URIs means that shared links to that content may be opened from any browser on any platform if your app is not present, but the app can take over when it's there to provide a richer or more optimized experience.