Test Firebase Dynamic Links for Unpublished App

Question

I have a dev version of my app that is not published in the Play Store. I would like to test dynamic links with it, but whenever I click a dynamic link, it opens the play st

Answer 1

The other answer above is technically correct, but you can get close to simulating the real behavior without putting anything on the Google Play Store.

• If your application is installed, the dynamic link will open your application. This is true even if your app is not listed on the Play Store. If this is not working for you, your app is not properly set up to receive dynamic links.
• If your application is not installed, you will be taken to the Play Store and you will see app not found. After, you can sideload the app to simulate a Play Store install.

Answer 2

I was able to test it like this:

• I published a closed alpha version of an app - open only to my email (beta should work just the same)
• Opted in via the opt-in link in the developer console (it's on the APK section)

After that, clicking the dynamic link I created on the Firebase console worked as expected, without having my app out in the open.

Caveats:

• Connected Google users - might cause a problem if only one is on the alpha group list
• It takes a bit of time to get started. Make sure you can see the app in Google Play before trying to click the link
• Updates, fixes and changes take time until they actually appear on Google Play. Google Play now offers internal testing, a level below alpha that propagates updates quicker.