In today’s digital landscape, it’s essential for websites and mobile apps to work together seamlessly to provide users with a unified experience. One way to achieve this is by associating websites with their corresponding mobile apps, enabling users to launch the app directly from the website or vice versa. This association facilitates a range of benefits, including improved user engagement, increased conversions, and enhanced overall user experience.
In order to facilitate this association, both Apple (with Apple App Site Association) and Google (with Android Asset Links) have introduced mechanisms that allow websites to declare their relationship with mobile apps. These mechanisms enable users to launch the app directly from the website or vice versa, without having to search for it in the respective app stores.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into both Apple App Site Association (AASA) and Android Asset Links, exploring how these mechanisms work, their benefits, and best practices for implementing them. By understanding how to associate websites with mobile apps, you can enhance your users’ experience, increase engagement, and drive business growth.
APPLE APP SITE ASSOCIATION (AASA)
Apple App Site Association (AASA) is a mechanism introduced by Apple to enable websites to declare their association with iOS apps. This allows users to launch an app directly from the website, without having to search for it in the App Store.
How it works:
- Associating the site with an app: Website owners create a JSON file called
apple-app-site-associationand upload it to their website’s root directory or a CDN. This file contains information about the associated app, such as its Bundle ID. - Verification: When a user visits the website, Apple verifies the association by checking for the presence of the JSON file and ensuring it matches the expected format.
- Launching the app: If the verification is successful, the user can launch the app directly from the website without leaving the browser. This is achieved through various methods, such as:
- Universal Links: Allows users to open specific pages or actions within an app, while maintaining the context of the original URL.
- Associated Domains: Enables apps and websites to share a common domain, allowing for seamless transitions between the two.
Android Asset Links
Android Asset Links is a mechanism introduced by Google to enable websites to associate themselves with Android apps. This allows users to launch an app directly from the website, without having to search for it in the Google Play Store.
How it works:
- Declaring the association: Website owners add a
<link>tag to their website’s HTML header, specifying therelattribute asandroidapp. Thehrefattribute points to a JSON file containing information about the associated app. - Verification: When a user visits the website, Android checks for the presence of the
<link>tag and verifies its contents match the expected format. - Launching the app: If the verification is successful, the user can launch the app directly from the website without leaving the browser. This is achieved through various methods, such as:
- Custom URI schemes: Allows apps to handle specific URIs, enabling seamless transitions between the app and the website.
Commonalities and differences
Both AASA (Apple) and Android Asset Links serve similar purposes: to enable websites to associate themselves with mobile apps, allowing users to launch the app directly from the website. While they share similarities, each platform has its own unique implementation details and requirements for association:
- Apple’s AASA requires a JSON file uploaded to the website’s root directory or CDN.
- Android Asset Links uses an HTML
<link>tag to declare the association. - AASA supports Universal Links, while Android Asset Links relies on Custom URI schemes.
By understanding how to associate websites with mobile apps through AASA and Android Asset Links, you can enhance your users’ experience, increase engagement, and drive business growth.
