235
app link
also universal link, Android App Link
An https URL the OS has verified belongs to your app. A custom scheme is not that.
What is app link?
An app link is an https URL opened in the app because the domain hosts an association file and the OS checked it: apple-app-site-association, or assetlinks.json. A custom scheme needs no verification, so any app can register it. Verified links do not show a chooser and do not fall through to a lookalike app.
Why does app link matter when vibe coding?
The draft registers myapp:// and calls it a universal link. There is no association file, no associated-domains entitlement, and a cold start still opens Safari.
How do you do app link?
Host the association file on https. Add the entitlement or the intent filter. Test with the app killed. Keep a custom scheme only as a legacy extra, not as the share URL.
How do you ask a model for app link?
Use a verified app link for (URL). Host the association file. Handle it from a cold start. Do not use a custom scheme as the share link. Do not claim the link works if you only tested with the app already open.
What goes wrong with app link?
A redirect or a login wall on the association file. The OS fetch fails and every link stays in the browser.