Deep Linking in React Native with Universal Links and URL Schemes

How to implement deep linking technologies for iOS React Native apps

Universal Links and URL Schemes are two iOS features that allow developers to configure links that jump straight into an app at a particular screen, no matter how deep into the app. This article outlines the differences between these two features, and how to integrate them within Xcode and React Native projects, including ejected Expo projects, covering use cases between the two deep linking methods. Useful React Native packages to facilitate the integrations will also be documented.

A Brief History of Deep Linking in iOS

Deep linking is quite a generic term that encompasses the idea of navigating to a specific indexed piece of material, whether that be a webpage or a particular place in an application. The concept has been practiced since the inception of HTTP and the hyperlink, and has proved to be an integral part of navigating websites in the browser.

In more recent times, the concept has been adopted for use with apps as their complexity and capabilities have grown. The ability to jump to a specific state in an application is particularly useful for iOS apps, that exist in an allotment of sandboxed resources, AKA…