What are deferred deep links?
A deep link opens a particular screen inside a mobile app. A deferred deep link does the same even when the app is not installed yet: the person installs first, and the app opens on the right screen. This page explains both in plain words, and how Vela Links does it.
On this page
- What is a deep link?
- What does "deferred" mean?
- How install-then-open works
- Is the match exact?
- QR codes
- What you can measure
- How Vela Links does it
- When you need this
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a deep link and a deferred deep link?
A deep link opens a screen inside an app that is already installed. A deferred deep link also works when the app is not installed: the person installs it first, and the app then opens on that screen.
Will it work for someone who has never installed my app?
Yes. The link goes to the store first, and the first time the app opens it lands on the screen the link was meant for. On Android the match is exact. On iOS it is best-effort when the clipboard token is unavailable.
Can I use QR codes?
Yes. A QR code is made for every app, and you can make tracked QR codes with your own colours and logo. Each scan is counted, and you can change where a tracked code goes without reprinting it.
Do you collect personal data?
No names, emails, phone numbers or device IDs are collected. The SDK makes a random code on the phone, and visitor IP addresses are kept only as one-way codes.
Which apps does it work with?
Flutter, native iOS (Swift), native Android (Kotlin or Java) and React Native apps. Other platforms can use the same server through its API, ask us.