6

Can I have more than one application claim the same URL for Universal Links or App Links?

What occurs on the end user device when such a (developer permitted) collision occurs?

  • Is the experience the same on Android and iOS?
  • Will there be a prompt, allowing the user to pick which app to open the deep link URL in?
Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

No, a collision is not possible.

The way that app links and universal links work is

  1. Your web page contains a URL to a file on your web server
  2. The file contains the information that tells the device what app to open.

The link might look like this: https://<domain>/apple-app-site-association

The file might look like this:

"applinks": {
    "apps": [],
    "details": [
        {
            "appID": "9JA89QQLNQ.com.apple.wwdc",
            "paths": [ "/wwdc/news/", "/videos/wwdc/2015/*"]
        },
        {
            "appID": "ABCD1234.com.apple.wwdc",
            "paths": [ "*" ]
        }
    ]
}

So in order to create an app association using of of these links, you have to own a server that matches the domain in the URL.

You can only put files on web servers that you own, of course; nobody else can (unless you have given them permission or they have hacked you). So whoever owns the web server also owns the app association. No collisions.

Improve this answer
3
  • So in other words, if I offer a free and paid version of my app, the URL of each app must be different and therefore can't overlap features?
    – makerofthings7
    Commented Dec 6, 2016 at 14:51
  • I want a URL to open whichever app is installed. Free if that is, paid, if that is.
    – makerofthings7
    Commented Dec 6, 2016 at 14:51
  • The app association can include multiple apps. If the user has more than one installed, the phone will display a dialog allowing them to choose. In your case I think they would have only the one app (free or paid, not both) so you should be OK.
    – John Wu
    Commented Dec 6, 2016 at 17:58

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .