How to enable deep-linking in WebView on Android app?

Question

I'm trying to implement deep linking in android app.

When I click the deep linking of custom url (xxxx://repost?id=12) on Android browser like Chrome, my app opens up and works very well.

Problem is, in the app, there's a webView widget, and I want to the deep-linking work there too.

Currently, it's showing Can't connect to the server error.

Thanks in advance.

Override shouldOverrideUrlLoading function handle by yourself if url.startsWith(APP_SCHEME) — mitvenkatesan, Dec 21 '14 at 14:27

score 53 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 22 '15 at 10:32

53

This is the problem with android web view as this treats everything as URL but other browser like chrome on mobile intercepts the scheme and OS will do the rest to open the corresponding app. To implement this you need to modify your web view shouldOverrideUrlLoading functions as follows:

 @Override
 public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url) {
        LogUtils.info(TAG, "shouldOverrideUrlLoading: " + url);
        Intent intent;

        if (url.contains(AppConstants.DEEP_LINK_PREFIX)) {
            intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
            intent.setData(Uri.parse(url));
            startActivity(intent);

            return true;
        } 
 }

In above code replace AppConstants.DEEP_LINK_PREFIX with your url scheme eg.

android-app://your package

Hope this helps!!

answered Sep 22 '15 at 10:32

Pranav

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This is bound to fail if the user does not have the other app installed – Georgian Benetatos Mar 21 '16 at 14:04
4

This is about opening the deep link for your app from your app web view. please see the question? If there is something i am missing please elaborate. – Pranav Mar 23 '16 at 10:29
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if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) This will check if intent can be started – Georgian Benetatos Mar 23 '16 at 11:53
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if you are deeplinking to the same app, this will open the app again but branch InitSessionComplete() won't be triggered unfortunately. Anyone knows a fix ? – Mohammad Zekrallah Jul 25 '19 at 18:03
@Pranav what happens if we dont know the deeplink prefix ? – droidev Oct 14 '21 at 07:48

score 11 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 09 '18 at 10:08

11

The answer of @pranav is perfect but might cause crash if there are no apps to handle the intent. @georgianbenetatos's solution to prevent that helps

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setData(Uri.parse(url));
if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {
   startActivity(intent);
} else {
   Toast.makeText(this, R.string.no_apps_to_handle_intent, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}

edited Feb 09 '18 at 10:08

Sachin Varma

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answered Feb 09 '18 at 09:57

Rohan Kandwal

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This will always chrome / browser right ? – droidev Oct 14 '21 at 06:42
@droidev whoever access ACTION_VIEW, like browsers and other apps. – Rohan Kandwal Oct 14 '21 at 08:54
most of the devices will have web browsers right ? and which will be always accepts `ACTION_VIEW` and in this case browser will be always opened right ? – droidev Oct 18 '21 at 06:50
Yes, that's correct @droidev – Rohan Kandwal Oct 19 '21 at 07:49
Is there any better way ? just like chrome handles ? in chrome if you try to open any deeplink url it will directly open/asks to open the deeplinkable application right ? – droidev Oct 21 '21 at 03:51
If you enable deeplink on your app, it work properly for your app as well. – Rohan Kandwal Oct 26 '21 at 07:32

How to enable deep-linking in WebView on Android app?

2 Answers2

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