ChatRoom URL redirect

For QR code and link sharing capabilities, Ethora engine uses a short link redirect feature.

Short URL & Universal Linking

Ethora app can also be linked directly if it's installed on the device, but web redirect is preferable as it covers more compatibility scenarios.

In this scenario:

1. if Ethora-based App is installed on User's device, the link will open the App (your application intercepts it via Universal Linking mechanism) and the App will automatically navigate to specific Chat room / Space;
2. if App is not installed yet, the web page will open inviting the User to download the App from iOS or Android appstore (automated user agent detection and redirection might also be implemented here).

Short link format

The default domain name and URLs used for redirects is:

eto.li/go/<roomID>

Where roomID is the public key of the required Room / Space.

Redirection prefix

You may also specify your own redirection prefix in the Config file.

Creating your own (short link) website for your App

You can create your own website for the above purposes.

In case you use Universal Linking (default option in Ethora engine), you don't need to set up any redirection to the App and you can simply focus on creating the relevant marketing content / landing page for your iOS and Android applications.

In case you need to set up redirection to chat Rooms / Spaces from your website, you may do it using .htaccess redirection method, for example, like this:

RewriteEngine on

RewriteRule ^(.\*)$ <APP_NAME>://chat/$1 [L,R=301]

QA: Test criteria

When tapping on a link posted in either

(A) 3rd party application (Web page when viewed via your mobile device browser, mobile e-mail client, Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber etc);

or

(B) within your Application (another Chat Room/Space),

the following should happen for iOS & Android Users who have the Application installed:

1. Application should launch if not launched yet. If it was already in background, it should come to foreground.
2. Chat Room / Space to where the short link is linking, should open on the screen.
3. The title of the opened Room / Space should display correctly.
4. All existing messages in Room / Space should display correctly.
5. User should be able to enter and send messages in Room/Space.
6. User should be able to send tokens / Coin tips to messages of other users in Room/Space.

For iOS & Android users who do not have the Application installed, the link should open a web page of the Room/Space and automated redirect to the Appstore should take the user to the Appstore page of the Application where it can be downloaded.

For users of other platforms, the link should open a web page of the Room/Space with information about the Application, information / chat history of the Room/Space (in case it is publicly available) and banners-links allowing to download the Application from iOS and Android Appstores.