Swapping a deep linking SDK is the most engineering-intensive part of a platform migration. The SDK handles deep link reception, deferred deep linking, and often event tracking. Replacing it means changing how your app receives and processes links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide covers the technical steps for swapping deep linking SDKs in iOS and Android apps, with patterns that minimize risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the full migration guide, see Migrating to Tolinku from Branch, Firebase, and AppsFlyer<\/a>. For the migration checklist, see Deep Linking Migration Checklist: 30 Steps<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before ripping out the old SDK, build an abstraction layer. This gives you a clean interface that your app code calls, with the implementation swappable behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n iOS (Swift)<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Android (Kotlin)<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create an implementation using your current SDK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Change all deep link handling in your app to use the protocol:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now your app code is decoupled from any specific SDK. Swapping SDKs means creating a new CocoaPods<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Run Swift Package Manager<\/strong>:\nRemove the package dependency in Xcode (File \u2192 Swift Packages \u2192 Remove).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manual removal<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After removing the dependency, clean the build folder (Cmd+Shift+K in Xcode) and search for any remaining imports:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove all found references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove from Sync the project and search for remaining imports:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After removing the SDK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n iOS (Swift Package Manager)<\/strong>:\nAdd the TolinkuSDK package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Associated Domains<\/strong>:\nAdd your Tolinku domain to the Associated Domains entitlement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n SceneDelegate<\/strong> (or AppDelegate for older apps):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Android<\/strong>:\nAdd the dependency to AndroidManifest.xml<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n MainActivity<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create the Tolinku implementation of your abstraction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key difference from most old SDKs: Tolinku passes deep link data through standard URLs, so parsing is just URL component extraction. No proprietary data dictionaries to decode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your app registered custom URL schemes (e.g., Map your old routing patterns to the new URL structure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you tracked events through the old deep linking SDK, move event tracking to your analytics SDK or Tolinku's analytics. Don't mix deep link routing with event tracking responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Test these scenarios on both iOS and Android:<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Abstraction Layer Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Define the Interface<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
protocol DeepLinkHandler {\n func handleURL(_ url: URL) -> DeepLinkResult?\n func handleDeferredLink(completion: @escaping (DeepLinkResult?) -> Void)\n}\n\nstruct DeepLinkResult {\n let path: String\n let parameters: [String: String]\n let isDeferred: Bool\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\ninterface DeepLinkHandler {\n fun handleUri(uri: Uri): DeepLinkResult?\n fun handleDeferredLink(callback: (DeepLinkResult?) -> Unit)\n}\n\ndata class DeepLinkResult(\n val path: String,\n val parameters: Map<String, String>,\n val isDeferred: Boolean\n)\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nWrap the Old SDK<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\/\/ iOS: Branch implementation (temporary)\nclass BranchDeepLinkHandler: DeepLinkHandler {\n func handleURL(_ url: URL) -> DeepLinkResult? {\n \/\/ Bridge Branch's data format to your DeepLinkResult\n \/\/ This wraps existing Branch logic\n }\n\n func handleDeferredLink(completion: @escaping (DeepLinkResult?) -> Void) {\n \/\/ Bridge Branch's deferred link callback\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nUpdate App Code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
class AppRouter {\n let deepLinkHandler: DeepLinkHandler\n\n init(handler: DeepLinkHandler) {\n self.deepLinkHandler = handler\n }\n\n func handleIncomingURL(_ url: URL) {\n guard let result = deepLinkHandler.handleURL(url) else { return }\n navigate(to: result)\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nDeepLinkHandler<\/code> implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nStep 1: Remove the Old SDK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
iOS Removal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
# Remove from Podfile\n# pod 'Branch' # or pod 'AppsFlyerFramework', pod 'FirebaseDynamicLinks'\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\npod install<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
grep -r "import Branch" .\ngrep -r "import AppsFlyerLib" .\ngrep -r "import FirebaseDynamicLinks" .\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nAndroid Removal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
build.gradle<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\/\/ Remove these lines\n\/\/ implementation 'io.branch.sdk.android:library:5.+'\n\/\/ implementation 'com.appsflyer:af-android-sdk:6.+'\n\/\/ implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-dynamic-links:21.+'\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\ngrep -r "import io.branch" .\ngrep -r "import com.appsflyer" .\ngrep -r "import com.google.firebase.dynamiclinks" .\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nCleanup Checklist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Step 2: Add the New SDK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tolinku SDK Integration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
applinks:go.yourapp.com\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nfunc scene(_ scene: UIScene, continue userActivity: NSUserActivity) {\n guard userActivity.activityType == NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb,\n let url = userActivity.webpageURL else { return }\n\n let handler = TolinkuDeepLinkHandler()\n if let result = handler.handleURL(url) {\n AppRouter.shared.navigate(to: result)\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nbuild.gradle<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<activity android:name=".MainActivity">\n <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">\n <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" \/>\n <data\n android:scheme="https"\n android:host="go.yourapp.com" \/>\n <\/intent-filter>\n<\/activity>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\noverride fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {\n super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)\n handleIntent(intent)\n}\n\noverride fun onNewIntent(intent: Intent) {\n super.onNewIntent(intent)\n handleIntent(intent)\n}\n\nprivate fun handleIntent(intent: Intent) {\n val uri = intent.data ?: return\n val handler = TolinkuDeepLinkHandler()\n handler.handleUri(uri)?.let { result ->\n AppRouter.navigate(result)\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 3: Implement the New Handler<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
class TolinkuDeepLinkHandler: DeepLinkHandler {\n func handleURL(_ url: URL) -> DeepLinkResult? {\n let components = URLComponents(url: url, resolvingAgainstBaseURL: false)\n let path = url.path\n let params = components?.queryItems?.reduce(into: [String: String]()) { dict, item in\n dict[item.name] = item.value\n } ?? [:]\n\n return DeepLinkResult(\n path: path,\n parameters: params,\n isDeferred: false\n )\n }\n\n func handleDeferredLink(completion: @escaping (DeepLinkResult?) -> Void) {\n \/\/ Use Tolinku SDK to check for deferred deep link data\n Tolinku.shared.checkForDeferredLink { url in\n guard let url = url else {\n completion(nil)\n return\n }\n completion(self.handleURL(url))\n }\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 4: Handle Edge Cases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Multiple URL Schemes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
yourapp:\/\/product\/123<\/code>) in addition to Universal Links\/App Links, decide whether to keep them. Custom URL schemes are less secure and less reliable than Universal Links\/App Links, but some older integrations may depend on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDeep Link Routing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n Old SDK Route<\/th>\n New URL Route<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Branch.data["product_id"] = "123"<\/code><\/td>\n\/product\/123<\/code> or ?product_id=123<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n AppsFlyer.deepLinkValue = "promo"<\/code><\/td>\n\/promo<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Firebase.link = "https:\/\/yourapp.com\/sale"<\/code><\/td>\n\/sale<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEvent Tracking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Testing the Swap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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