Deep Linking

This guide covers deep linking into video calls, extracting call IDs from URLs, and starting calls directly.

Step 1 - Native Setup

Prerequisites before following this guide is having an application with our Stream Video SDK integrated. You can follow our tutorials for the same to get started with an application.

Follow this guide for Android deep linking setup.

Creating Intent Filters

Add intent filters to AndroidManifest.xml at /android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

action - ACTION_VIEW for Google Search reachability

<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />

data - URI format tags with android:scheme attribute minimum

<data android:scheme="http" />
<data android:scheme="https" />
<!-- The URL here must exclude the scheme -->
<data android:host="`YOUR URL HERE`" />

category - DEFAULT and BROWSABLE required for browser link resolution

<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />

Complete intent filter:

<intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
    <data android:scheme="http" />
    <data android:scheme="https" />
    <!-- Example: "stream-calls-dogfood.vercel.app” -->
    <data android:host="`YOUR URL HERE`" />
</intent-filter>

Adding Asset Links

Android App Links use Digital Asset Links API for automatic URL-to-app routing without user selection.

Verification steps:

Add autoVerify attribute to intent filters (as shown above)
Declare association by hosting Digital Asset Links JSON at:

https://domain.name/.well-known/assetlinks.json

Generate assetlink.json using this tool:

Hosting site name - Deep linking URL
App package name - Found in MainActivity.java package declaration
App package fingerprint (SHA256) - See this guide

Adding deep linking support in AppDelegate

Link RCTLinking to handle incoming app links. Add to AppDelegate.m or AppDelegate.mm:

#import <React/RCTLinkingManager.h>

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application
   openURL:(NSURL *)url
   options:(NSDictionary<UIApplicationOpenURLOptionsKey,id> *)options
{
  return [RCTLinkingManager application:application openURL:url options:options];
}

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application continueUserActivity:(nonnull NSUserActivity *)userActivity
 restorationHandler:(nonnull void (^)(NSArray<id<UIUserActivityRestoring>> * _Nullable))restorationHandler
{
 return [RCTLinkingManager application:application
                  continueUserActivity:userActivity
                    restorationHandler:restorationHandler];
}

Setting up a URL scheme

In Xcode, open YOUR_APP_NAME/ios/app-name.xcworkspace, select project > Info tab > URL types:

Identifier - Your bundle ID
URL Schemes - Your URL prefix
Role - Editor

Setting up Universal schemes

If your app is using Universal Links, you will need to add the following code as well.

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application continueUserActivity:(nonnull NSUserActivity *)userActivity
 restorationHandler:(nonnull void (^)(NSArray<id<UIUserActivityRestoring>> * _Nullable))restorationHandler
{
 return [RCTLinkingManager application:application
                  continueUserActivity:userActivity
                    restorationHandler:restorationHandler];
}

Adding Associated Domains Entitlement

In Signing & Capabilities, add Associated Domains entitlement for Universal Links and web credentials support.

Click + near Capability, search Associated Domains, add it
Add applinks:your-domain.com

This creates a .entitlements file in ios/YOUR_APP_NAME.

Create AASA file at https://domain.name/.well-known/apple-app-site-association:

{
  "applinks": {
    "apps": [],
    "details": [
      {
        "appID": ["<TeamID>.com.example.myapp"],
        "paths": ["*"]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Notes:

appID - Prefix Bundle ID with Team ID from Membership page
paths - URIs to support; use wildcard (*) for dynamic segments
apps - Must be empty array

Step 2 - Using the `Linking` API

Use React Native's Linking API:

App not open - Use getInitialURL() to get initial URL
App open - Listen via addEventListener('url', callback)

Example:

const App = () => {
  useEffect(() => {
    const parseAndSetCallID = (url: string | null) => {
      const matchResponse = url?.match(`YOUR REGEX HERE`); // To match the paths and handle them accordingly
      if (matchResponse?.length) {
        // Your custom setup here.
      }
    };
    const { remove } = Linking.addEventListener("url", ({ url }) => {
      parseAndSetCallID(url);
    });
    const configure = async () => {
      const url = await Linking.getInitialURL();
      parseAndSetCallID(url);
    };
    configure();
    return remove;
  }, []);
};