Deep Links

Deep links are URLs that take users directly to specific content within your mobile app. SmartLinks makes it easy to create and manage deep links that work across platforms.

What are Deep Links?

Deep links allow you to:

• Direct users to specific screens in your app
• Skip app onboarding flows
• Create personalized user experiences
• Track user engagement from specific campaigns

Types of Deep Links

Standard Deep Links

Basic app-specific URLs that open your app:

myapp://product/123
myapp://profile/user456

Universal Links (iOS)

Web URLs that open your app when it’s installed:

https://myapp.com/product/123

App Links (Android)

Android’s equivalent to Universal Links:

https://myapp.com/product/123

Creating Deep Links with SmartLinks

SmartLinks handles the complexity of cross-platform deep linking:

1. Platform Detection: Automatically detects iOS vs Android
2. App Installed Check: Determines if user has your app
3. Smart Routing: Routes to app or web based on context
4. Fallback Handling: Gracefully handles users without the app

Configuration

Configure your app’s deep link settings in the SmartLinks dashboard:

{
  "scheme": "myapp",
  "universalLinkDomain": "myapp.com",
  "appStoreId": "123456789",
  "androidPackage": "com.example.myapp"
}

Best Practices

1. Always provide fallbacks: Users without your app should see relevant content
2. Test thoroughly: Different devices and OS versions may behave differently
3. Use analytics: Track which links perform best
4. Handle errors gracefully: Network issues, app crashes, etc.

Examples

E-commerce Product Link

{
  "shortCode": "product123",
  "ios": {
    "deepLink": "myapp://product/123",
    "fallbackUrl": "https://myapp.com/products/123"
  },
  "android": {
    "deepLink": "myapp://product/123",
    "fallbackUrl": "https://myapp.com/products/123"
  }
}

User Profile Link

{
  "shortCode": "user456",
  "ios": {
    "deepLink": "myapp://profile/456",
    "fallbackUrl": "https://myapp.com/users/456"
  },
  "android": {
    "deepLink": "myapp://profile/456",
    "fallbackUrl": "https://myapp.com/users/456"
  }
}

TODO: Expand with technical implementation details from backend API documentation (SMR-38, SMAR-14)