Deep Linking in Roku Channels

Deep Linking in Roku Channels

Deep linking enables direct navigation to specific content within your Roku channel. For example, a user searching for a movie on Roku's search interface can launch that movie directly in your channel, bypassing the home screen.

To implement deep linking, your channel must:-

1. Recognize deep link parameters (like contentId and mediaType).
2. Validate and handle these parameters.
3. Present the requested content or gracefully handle errors if the content is unavailable.

Step 1: Enable Deep Linking in the Manifest File:-

The first step is to enable deep linking in your channel's manifest file. Add the following line:

enable_deeplinking=true

Step 2: Plan Your Deep Linking Parameters:-

Define the parameters your channel will handle. Common parameters include:
1. contentId: A unique identifier for the content.
2. mediaType: The type of content, such as movie, series, episode, e

contentId=12345
mediaType=movie

Step 3: Handle Deep Link Parameters in Code
Deep linking parameters are passed to the main() function of your BrightScript application. Use the m.top.getLaunchParams() method to retrieve these parameters.

sub main()
' Retrieve deep link parameters
params = m.top.getLaunchParams()
contentId = params.lookup("contentId", invalid)
mediaType = params.lookup("mediaType", invalid)

if contentId <> invalid and mediaType <> invalid
' Handle deep linking logic
handleDeepLink(contentId, mediaType)
else
' Launch default home screen
showHomeScreen()
end if
end sub

Step 4: Implement the Deep Linking Logic
Create a function to process the deep link parameters and present the requested content.

sub handleDeepLink(contentId as String, mediaType as String)
if mediaType = "movie"
' Fetch movie details using contentId
movieDetails = fetchMovieDetails(contentId)

if movieDetails <> invalid
' Display the movie
showMovieScreen(movieDetails)
else
' Handle invalid contentId
showErrorScreen("Content not found.")
end if
else
' Handle unsupported media types
showErrorScreen("Unsupported media type.")
end if
end sub

Step 5: Fetch and Validate Content
Ensure the contentId is valid and corresponds to an available item in your database or API. Here's an example function to fetch movie details:

function fetchMovieDetails(contentId as String) as Object
' Simulate API or database lookup
movieDatabase = {
"12345": { title: "Example Movie", description: "An example movie." },
"67890": { title: "Another Movie", description: "Another example." }
}

return movieDatabase.lookup(contentId, invalid)
end function

Step 6: Submit for Certification

Roku requires proper deep linking functionality for certification. Ensure:

1.Deep links open the correct content.
2.Unsupported or invalid parameters are handled gracefully.
3.Content is consistent with search metadata.

Conclusion:-

Deep linking in Roku channels provides users with a seamless way to access specific content directly. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can implement deep linking effectively, enhance user experience, and meet Roku's certification requirements. Happy coding!