What it is
Deep linking means any important state of your app can be reached directly by URL, not only by clicking through from the home page. The URL becomes the source of truth for what is shown.
What it requires
- The server returns the app shell for any path so a direct visit works.
- The router can reconstruct the full view from the URL alone.
- Stateful details like a selected tab or open modal live in the path or query.
Why state belongs in the URL
If a filtered list or open item exists only in memory, sharing the link loses it. Encoding that state in the URL makes the view bookmarkable and reproducible for anyone who opens it.
Mobile and apps
On native platforms deep links route a tapped URL straight into a specific screen, often via universal links, instead of always opening the launch screen.
Why it matters
Deep linking turns URLs into a reliable interface to your application, enabling sharing, bookmarking, and predictable browser history.
Key idea
Deep linking makes the URL the source of truth, so any view can be reconstructed from the path and query a user pastes.