Flutter is Google’s open-source UI toolkit for building beautiful, natively compiled applications for mobile (Android and iOS), web, and desktop from a single codebase.
Deep links are a powerful tool to enhance Google Ads campaigns that drive users directly to specific content within your Flutter Application. A deep link is a special URL that takes users to a specific page or section within your mobile app, rather than just launching the app’s homepage. Learn more About deep links .
This article provides guidance on how to implement and validate deep links for your Flutter app, leveraging tools like the Flutter Deeplinking Validator.
On this page
- Benefits of using Flutter for deep linking
- How it works
- Validate deep links with the Flutter Deeplinking validator
- Best practices for Flutter deep linking
Benefits of using Flutter for deep linking
- Simplified cross-platform development:Implement deep links for both Android and iOS with a shared Dart codebase, improving developer productivity.
- Streamlined user journey:Take users smoothly from your ad click directly to relevant in-app content.
- Enhanced ad conversion rates:By reducing friction and taking users to specific content, deep-linked experiences can drive up to 2 times user conversion compared to non-deep-linked mobile web pages.
How it works
There are 2 setups involved when you implement deep links in Flutter, app setup and web setup. App setup configures your Flutter app to recognize and handle incoming deep link URLs. Web setup associates your website domains with your app, so that your app can open links for your web domains. Learn how developers Set up deep links with Flutter .
Validate deep links with the Flutter Deeplinking validator
After you’ve started implementing deep links, it's crucial that you validate setup. Google provides the Flutter Deeplinking Validator, a tool integrated directly into Flutter DevTools, to help with this process.
- What it is:A developer tool designed to simplify the verification of deep link configurations for Flutter apps.
- Supported platforms:
- Currently supports comprehensive web and app setup checks for Android.
- iOS validation capabilities are under active development and will be available soon.
Learn more about How to access the Flutter Deep Linking Validator .
Best practices for Flutter deep linking
- Prioritize security and reliability:Use Android App Links and iOS Universal Links. They offer a secure way to link to your app content and provide a graceful fallback to your website if the app isn't installed.
- Consistent URL structure:Maintain a consistent URL structure between your website and app deep links for easier management and tracking.
- Thorough testing:
- Use the Flutter Deeplinking Validator regularly.
- Test your deep links from various sources, including directly from a browser, from simulated ad clicks, and on different devices and OS versions.
- Website accessibility:Ensure your
assetlinks.json(Android) andapple-app-site-association(iOS) files are correctly hosted, publicly accessible via HTTPS, and have the correctContent-Typeheader such asapplication/json. - Prepare for “app not installed”: Always have a relevant fallback experience on your mobile website for users who click a deep link but don't have your app installed.
- Coordinate across teams:Ensure your marketing and development team are aligned on the deep link URLs used in ad campaigns.
