Mobile app development / DIJION
From a link to the app: returning to the right screen after sign-in
A deep-link flow that preserves the original destination while separating sign-in, authorization and unavailable content.
Someone tapping a shared link expects particular content, not merely a running application. A sign-in screen can interrupt that intention and lose the destination. In an illustrative task app, a person following an invitation should reach the authorized task after signing in rather than an unrelated general list.
Preserve a destination, not a screenshot
Define the record identifier, intended action and safe return path represented by the link. Blindly restoring the pre-login screen can carry over the wrong account context. Resolve the destination again after authentication. Android App Links verifies a website-to-app association; that association does not replace authorization for the particular record.
Separate signing in from having access
Scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
| State | Information to show | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Signed out | Sign-in explanation preserving intent | Reevaluate after sign-in |
| Wrong account | Unavailable to this account | Switch account or return |
| Removed record | Content no longer available | Open a relevant list |
Avoid an unexplained home-screen fallback
Malformed links, removed content and temporary connectivity failures require different responses. Retry may help with a network interruption but cannot restore a deleted record. Avoid revealing a private title when access is denied. Offer a safe exit and, where appropriate, a way to ask the person who shared the link.
Specify the return path
A cold launch and a link received by an already open app do not share the same history. Back from the example task might return to a relevant list or the existing context. Document the intended behavior. Repeated taps should not stack identical screens, and canceling sign-in should not unexpectedly open a pending destination later.
A link test card
- Open the same link with the app closed and already running.
- Change accounts before and after sign-in.
- Remove the record and distinguish absence from denied access.
- Cancel sign-in, reopen the link and follow Back.
The deliverable is a destination, access check and return contract for each link type. Review whether the original intention can be completed, rather than whether the app simply opens.