Switching from Explicit Want Redirection to Linking Redirection

Starting from API version 12, it is not recommended that third-party applications start other applications by specifying an ability (implicit Want mode). Instead, the linking mode is recommended.

This section describes how to switch from explicit Want mode to linking mode.

Starting the UIAbility of Another Application

Install the application on your device. In the module.json5 file of the UIAbility, configure entities, actions, and uri under skills.
- The actions field must contain ohos.want.action.viewData.
- The entities field must contain entity.system.browsable.
- The uris field must contain an element whose scheme is https. domainVerify must be set to true. For details about the URI matching rules, see Matching Rules of uri. If domainVerify is set to true, domain name verification is enabled. In this case, the target application must pass domain name verification during App Linking.
```
{
  "module": {
    // ···
    "abilities": [
    // ···
      {
        // ···
        "skills": [
          {
            "entities": [
              "entity.system.browsable"
            ],
            "actions": [
              "ohos.want.action.viewData"
            ],
            "uris": [
              {
                "scheme": "https",
                "host": "www.example.com"
              }
            ],
            "domainVerify": true
          }
        ]
      },
    // ···
    ],
    // ···
  }
}
```
module.json5

If appLinkingOnly in options is set to true, the target application must pass domain name verification (Internet connection required). A unique matching item or an unmatched result will be returned.
If appLinkingOnly in options is set to false, the system preferentially attempts to start the target application in App Linking mode. If no matching application is found, the system starts the application in Deep Linking mode.

import { common, OpenLinkOptions } from '@kit.AbilityKit';
import { BusinessError } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';
import { hilog } from '@kit.PerformanceAnalysisKit';

const TAG: string = '[UIAbilityComponentsOpenLink]';
const DOMAIN_NUMBER: number = 0xFF00;

@Entry
@Component
struct WantAbilityPage1 {
  build() {
    Button('start link', { type: ButtonType.Capsule, stateEffect: true })
      .width('87%')
      .height('5%')
      .margin({ bottom: '12vp' })
      .onClick(() => {
        let context = this.getUIContext().getHostContext() as common.UIAbilityContext;
        // When using startAbility to explicitly start other UIAbilities, the openLink API is recommended.
        // let want: Want = {
        //   bundleName: "com.test.example",
        //   moduleName: "entry",
        //   abilityName: "EntryAbility"
        // };
        // try {
        //   context.startAbility(want)
        //     .then(() => {
        //       hilog.info(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, 'startAbility success.');
        //     }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
        //       hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `startAbility failed. Code is ${err.code}, message is ${err.message}`);
        //     })
        // } catch (paramError) {
        //   hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `Failed to startAbility. Code is ${paramError.code},\
        //   message is ${paramError.message}`);
        // }
        let link: string = 'https://www.example.com';
        let openLinkOptions: OpenLinkOptions = {
          // Specify whether the matched abilities options must pass App Linking domain name verification.
          appLinkingOnly: true,
          // Same as parameter in want, which is used to transfer parameters.
          parameters: {demo_key: 'demo_value'}
        };

        try {
          context.openLink(link, openLinkOptions)
            .then(() => {
              hilog.info(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, 'open link success.');
            }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
            hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `open link failed. Code is ${err.code}, message is ${err.message}`);
          })
        } catch (paramError) {
          hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `Failed to start link. Code is ${paramError.code}, message is ${paramError.message}`);
        }
      })
  }
}

WantAbilityPage1.ets

Starting the UIAbility of Another Application and Obtaining the Return Result

Install the application on your device. In the module.json5 file of the UIAbility, configure entities, actions, and uri under skills.
- The actions field must contain ohos.want.action.viewData.
- The entities field must contain entity.system.browsable.
- The uris field must contain an element whose scheme is https. domainVerify must be set to true. For details about the URI matching rules, see Matching Rules of uri. If domainVerify is set to true, domain name verification is enabled. In this case, the target application must pass domain name verification during App Linking.
```
{
  "module": {
    // ···
    "abilities": [
    // ···
      {
        // ···
        "skills": [
          {
            "entities": [
              "entity.system.browsable"
            ],
            "actions": [
              "ohos.want.action.viewData"
            ],
            "uris": [
              {
                "scheme": "https",
                "host": "www.example.com"
              }
            ],
            "domainVerify": true
          }
        ]
      },
    // ···
    ],
    // ···
  }
}
```
module.json5

Call openLink to trigger redirection. The link and options must be passed in, but the bundle name, module name, and ability name are not required. The system matches the application that meets the skills configuration based on the link. AbilityResult is transferred to the callback function through input parameters and returned to the caller application when the UIAbility is terminated. The startup success or failure result is returned through a promise.

If appLinkingOnly in options is set to true, the target application must pass domain name verification (Internet connection required). A unique matching item or an unmatched result will be returned.
If appLinkingOnly in options is set to false, the system preferentially attempts to start the target application in App Linking mode. If no matching application is found, the system starts the application in Deep Linking mode.

import { common, OpenLinkOptions } from '@kit.AbilityKit';
import { BusinessError } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';
import { hilog } from '@kit.PerformanceAnalysisKit';

const TAG: string = '[UIAbilityComponentsOpenLink]';
const DOMAIN_NUMBER: number = 0xFF00;

@Entry
@Component
struct WantAbilityPage2 {
  build() {
    Button('start link', { type: ButtonType.Capsule, stateEffect: true })
      .width('87%')
      .height('5%')
      .margin({ bottom: '12vp' })
      .onClick(() => {
        let context = this.getUIContext().getHostContext() as common.UIAbilityContext;
        // When using startAbility to explicitly start other UIAbilities, the openLink API is recommended.
        // let want: Want = {
        //   bundleName: "com.test.example",
        //   moduleName: "entry",
        //   abilityName: "EntryAbility"
        // };
        // try {
        //   context.startAbilityForResult(want)
        //     .then((data) => {
        //       hilog.info(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, 'startAbility success. data: ' + JSON.stringify(data));
        //     }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
        //       hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `startAbility failed. Code is ${err.code}, message is ${err.message}`);
        //     })
        // } catch (paramError) {
        //   hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `Failed to startAbility. Code is ${paramError.code}, \
        //   message is ${paramError.message}`);
        // }
        let link: string = 'https://www.example.com';
        let openLinkOptions: OpenLinkOptions = {
          // Specify whether the matched abilities options must pass App Linking domain name verification.
          appLinkingOnly: true,
          // Same as parameter in want, which is used to transfer parameters.
          parameters: {demo_key: 'demo_value'}
        };

        try {
          context.openLink(link, openLinkOptions, (err, data) => {
            // AbilityResult callback function, which is triggered only when the started UIAbility is terminated.
            hilog.info(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, 'open link success. Callback result: ' + JSON.stringify(data));
          }).then(() => {
            hilog.info(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, 'open link success.');
          }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
            hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `open link failed. Code is ${err.code}, message is ${err.message}`);
          })
        } catch (paramError) {
          hilog.error(DOMAIN_NUMBER, TAG, `Failed to start link. Code is ${paramError.code}, message is ${paramError.message}`);
        }
      })
  }
}

WantAbilityPage2.ets