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App Links

Documentation

https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/verify-android-applinks

https://smarquis.fr/action?key=value#data

A JSON verification file needs to be available at https://smarquis.fr/.well-known/assetlinks.json containing the application's package name and keystore fingerprint

/.well-known/assetlinks.json
[
    {
        "relation": [
            "delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"
        ],
        "target": {
            "namespace": "android_app",
            "package_name": "fr.smarquis.applinks",
            "sha256_cert_fingerprints": [
                "6B:41:26:A6:1E:D8:BD:91:D3:8B:57:10:5F:07:5C:2D:AB:3E:26:A4:D1:3C:9C:97:15:78:9E:0D:56:0A:CE:DC"
            ]
        }
    }
]

To test an existing statement file, you can use the official Statement List Generator and Tester tool.

During app install/update, an Android Service will verify if the App Links configuration complies with the server side assetlinks.json file.
The results will be sent to logcat:

Logcat
Success 
AppLinksAsyncVerifierV2  I  Verification result: checking for a statement with source https://smarquis.fr, relation delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls, and target fr.smarquis.applinks --> true. [CONTEXT service_id=244 ]
AppLinksHostsVerifierV2  I  Verification fr.smarquis.applinks complete. Successful hosts: smarquis.fr. Failed hosts: . Error hosts: . [CONTEXT service_id=244 ]
Failure 
AppLinksAsyncVerifierV2  I  Verification result: checking for a statement with source https://smarquis.fr, relation delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls, and target fr.smarquis.applinks --> false. [CONTEXT service_id=244 ]
AppLinksHostsVerifierV2  I  Verification fr.smarquis.applinks complete. Successful hosts: . Failed hosts: smarquis.fr. Error hosts: . [CONTEXT service_id=244 ]
Success 
I/IntentFilterIntentSvc: Verifying IntentFilter. verificationId:0 scheme:"https" hosts:"smarquis.fr" package:"fr.smarquis.applinks".
I/SingleHostAsyncVerifier: Verification result: checking for a statement with source a <
                             a: "https://smarquis.fr"
                           >
                           , relation delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls, and target b <
                             a: "fr.smarquis.applinks"
                             b <
                               a: "D2:18:2B:0E:34:38:3B:FD:A7:80:AC:21:88:F1:F7:1F:13:33:AD:CB:E3:94:2A:75:96:FB:A1:7A:0B:6B:CE:68"
                             >
                           >
                            --> true.
I/IntentFilterIntentSvc: Verification 0 complete. Success:true. Failed hosts:.
Failure 
I/IntentFilterIntentSvc: Verifying IntentFilter. verificationId:1 scheme:"https" hosts:"smarquis.fr" package:"fr.smarquis.applinks".
I/SingleHostAsyncVerifier: Verification result: checking for a statement with source a <
                             a: "https://smarquis.fr"
                           >
                           , relation delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls, and target b <
                             a: "fr.smarquis.applinks"
                             b <
                               a: "D2:18:2B:0E:34:38:3B:FD:A7:80:AC:21:88:F1:F7:1F:13:33:AD:CB:E3:94:2A:75:96:FB:A1:7A:0B:6B:CE:68"
                             >
                           >
                            --> false.
I/IntentFilterIntentSvc: Verification 1 complete. Success:false. Failed hosts:smarquis.fr.

🤖 Android

Same as Web url but with https only and android:autoVerify="true" attribute.

AndroidManifest.xml
<activity android:name=".MainActivity">
    <intent-filter
        android:autoVerify="true"
        tools:targetApi="m">
        <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="smarquis.fr"
            android:pathPattern="/action" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

📦 Data

Uri Value
scheme https
host smarquis.fr
path /action
query ?key=value
fragment data

⚙️ Features

Feature ✔️/❌
App not installed ❌
Offline ✔️
Referrer ❌
Deeplink ✔️
Deferred deeplink ❌

📈 Pros and Cons

➕ No more disambiguation dialog
➕ No potential app hijacking
➖ Doesn't work on the same domain
➖ Some (in-app) browsers might directly handle these links and prevent the app to launch

📹 Demo