A Comprehensive Guide to Deep links and App Links in Android
Tags: android, security, web3, deeplink
Published: 2023-08-03 07:59:21

For Android developers, understanding the concepts of Deep links and App Links is crucial to providing a seamless user experience for end users. This guide delves into the differences between Deep links and App Links, importance of the security concerns, and how to implement and test these links effectively. 

Whether you're a developer integrating Web3Auth’s Android SDK or working with ReactNative/Flutter, this guide will help you master the art of handling links easily in your Android applications.

## Understanding Deep Links and App Links

### What are Deep Links?
To start, let's define what Deep Links are. Deep Links are strings of characters that enable users to access specific content or features within an Android app. They consist of three essential components: scheme, authority, and path. These links can handle custom schemes or universal resource identifiers (URIs) for seamless navigation.


![DeepLink](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/s6xlh8dziers3emmai42.png)

### What are App Links?
App Links are a specialized form of Deep Links that allow Android apps to handle HTTP and HTTPS web links. With App Links, developers can associate their app with specific web domains, providing users with a seamless experience when navigating between websites and the app.

### The Difference Between Android App Links and Web Links:

While Android App Links and Web Links share similarities in their functionality as methods to link users to specific content, they have fundamental differences that cater to different user scenarios. Understanding these distinctions will help developers make informed decisions about which link type to use in various situations.

#### Android App Links:

Android App Links are a specialized form of Deep Links that offer a more seamless and integrated user experience for Android users. When a user clicks on an Android App Link, it automatically opens the associated app if it is installed on the device. This behavior eliminates the need for a disambiguation dialog that asks users to choose between opening the link in the app or the browser.

**Key Characteristics of Android App Links:**

1. Immediate App Invocation: Android App Links directly invoke the app, providing users with a faster and smoother experience as they are taken directly to the relevant content within the app.

2. Verified Association: Android App Links are explicitly associated with a specific app through a verification process, which ensures that only the designated app can handle these links. This verification is achieved through the use of Digital Asset Links JSON files hosted on the website's domain.

3. No Disambiguation Dialog: The absence of a disambiguation dialog streamlines the user journey and reduces the risk of users inadvertently choosing the wrong app to handle the link.

#### Web Links:

On the other hand, Web Links are links that use the HTTP and HTTPS schemes and open in the device's default web browser. They are more generic and platform-agnostic, providing a consistent experience across different operating systems and devices.

**Key Characteristics of Web Links:**

1. Universal Accessibility: Web Links are accessible to all users, regardless of whether they have the app installed on their device. When users click on a Web Link, it opens the associated web page in the browser, making it a useful method for sharing content with a broader audience.

2. Not App-Specific: Unlike Android App Links, Web Links do not require any specific app association or verification. They can be used universally and do not rely on a particular app's presence on the device.

3. Potential Disambiguation: Since Web Links are not bound to a specific app, users may have multiple apps that can handle a particular link. A disambiguation dialog may appear in such cases, prompting users to select the desired app for link handling.

## Ensuring App Link Handling in Your Android App

[Continue reading it here](https://web3auth.io/docs/content-hub/blog/comprehensive-guide-to-deep-links-and-app-links-in-android).