Apple Universal Links: A path to remember

Hi All,

Struggled hard to implement the UNIVERSAL LINKS. A nice but confusing procedure.

What are Universal Links
Universal links are the way to implement deep linking on iOS 9 and above.
Earlier defining Custom URL Scheme was the only simplest way to achieve deep-linking but now the Associated Domains come into picture for handling deep-linking.

En-route to Implementation part...

***** Xcode Layer *****

Step 1 :

• Open your xCode Project

• Goto Target 

• Click General

• Set Bundle Identifier (Example : com.blog.spot )

Step 2 :

• Click Capabilities

• Enable Associated Domains

• Click + in Domains and write (Example : applinks:india.com/apple-app-site-association)

Step 3 :

• On Enabling Associated Domain a file Target.entitlements gets added in your project.

• Please ensure this gets added in Targets Membership and the build.

• You can view this in Identity Inspector.

Step 4 :

• Click Build Settings
• Under Signing Sections you can find Name of your Code Signing Entitlements as Target.entitlements

Step 5 :

• Click Info.plist file.
• Add URL Identifier as com.blog.spot under Url Types.
• Add URL Scheme as com.blogspot under Url Types.

Step 6 :

• Open Apple Developer Program.
• Enable Associated Domains for your App Identifier.
• Use the new certificate and provisioning profile for Build installation.

***** Server Layer *****

• Buy a domain or use any existing one.

• Acquire SSL Certification for it.

• Create a JSON File  : apple-app-site-association.

• Upload this file on the server.

• It must return 200 http code.

• Content type of File Must be proper.
• For Verification you can use : https://limitless-sierra-4673.herokuapp.com/

JSON Structure{    "applinks": {

"apps": [],

"details": [{

"appID": "AB123CD4EF.com.blog.spot",

"paths": ["*"]

}]

}

}


AB123CD4EF.com.blog.spot
         |                         |
        ↓                         |
   Team Id                 ↓
                       Bundle Identifier


Verification

• Create an HTML page and place on any server.
• On page load call a method say open.

                function open()                  {  window.location = "blogspot://?user=100";  }

• Now  goto Safari App, refresh and a popup must be visible.

• Click Open and it should be redirected to your installed App
• However if App is not installed an error pop up will display 

Notes:

• Universal Links do not work with redirects.
• With Gmail Universal Links perfectly fine.
• Do not append .json in apple-app-site-association file

Hope it helps and save people from traums:)