Summary

The article provides a guide on implementing deep linking in Jetpack Compose for Android applications, detailing the necessary steps, dependencies, and configurations.

Abstract

In the provided content, the author explains the concept of deep linking, which is a technique that enables users to navigate directly to specific content within an app from external sources. The article outlines the process of setting up deep linking in Jetpack Compose, starting with adding the required navigation dependency in the build.gradle.kts file. It then proceeds to demonstrate how to create a navController, set up a NavHost with a home screen route, and define a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) for the app. The author also shows how to handle deep links and retrieve arguments from the URI, as well as how to use the App Links Assistant tool in Android Studio to map the URI to the app and test the deep linking functionality. The article concludes with an invitation to follow the author for more content and a suggestion to support them with a coffee donation.

Opinions

The author believes that deep linking is an essential feature for modern apps, as it enhances user navigation and content accessibility.
They emphasize the ease of implementing deep linking in Jetpack Compose by providing clear steps and code snippets.
The author values the importance of testing app links to ensure that deep linking works correctly.
By mentioning their YouTube channel and newsletter, the author implies that they are committed to continuously providing valuable educational content in the field of Android development.
The request for support through a coffee donation suggests that the author appreciates community engagement and relies on reader contributions to sustain their efforts in content creation.

Deep Linking in Jetpack Compose — Android

In this article, we’ll learn how to easily implement deep-linking in Jetpack Compose.

What is Deep-Linking?

Deep-linking allows users to navigate to specific content within an app directly from an external source, such as a website or another app.

Dependency

Go ahead to :app/build.gradle.kts and add the navigation dependency.

dependencies {
    implementation("androidx.navigation:navigation-compose:2.5.3")
}

Now let’s go back to the MainActivity.kt and setup the navigation.

Step 1

Create the navController.

val navController = rememberNavController()

Step 2

Create the NavHost and the screen.

NavHost(
    navController = navController,
    startDestination = "home"
) {

    composable(
        route = "home"
    ) {
        // ...
    }
}

Now we need to define a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) for the app. Basically, a URI is a link to our app. When the user opens this link it will be redirected to the app. Here is mine:

val uri = "https://www.ad-coding.com"

Let’s also define a deep link to the home screen and get the argument passed. To do this we need to define a list of navDeepLink and use the backStackEntry to get the argument.

composable(
    route = "home",
    deepLinks = listOf(
        navDeepLink {
            uriPattern = "$uri/{id}"
        }
    )
) { backStackEntry ->
    val homeNumber = backStackEntry.arguments?.getString("id")

    Box(
        modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
        contentAlignment = Alignment.Center
    ) {
        Text(text = homeNumber ?: "No number")
  }
}

Now we need to link the URI to the app. Open the Tools tab and select the App Links Assistant.

Open the URL Mapping Editor > Click on the + button and add the URI that we defined earlier in the Host field, then click on OK.

If we click on the host that we created we can see that it added some things in the AndroidManifest.xml .

Action.VIEW — It means that the component can be launched to view a specific piece of content.
Category.DEFAULT — Indicates that the component is a typical component that can be launched by default.
Category.BROWSABLE — Indicates that the component can be launched from a web browser.
android:scheme — https, is the protocol that handles the URLs.
android:host — www.ad-coding.com, is the base link.

Let’s also check if the URL is mapped to the MainActivity .

The last thing we need to do is to test the URI. Click on Test App Links.

Let’s pass the URI and also the id at the end separated by a / . After that run the test and it should be a successful one.

I hope this article helped in your development journey. Remember to stay updated on my latest content by following me and subscribing to the newsletter. Thank you for reading!

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