Flutter Screen Launch by Notification - Deep Linking & Navigation Guide

Introduction

One of the most common challenges in Flutter app development is detecting when your app was launched by tapping a notification. Unlike native Android and iOS apps, Flutter doesn’t provide built-in functionality to detect this scenario.

The screen_launch_by_notfication plugin solves this problem by allowing you to:

• Detect when your app was launched from a notification
• Retrieve notification payload data
• Route directly to notification-specific screens
• Skip unnecessary splash screens
• Handle deep links automatically

The Problem

Default Flutter Behavior

By default, Flutter cannot detect whether the app was launched by:

• ❌ Tapping a notification (when app is killed)
• ❌ Tapping a notification (when app is in background)
• ❌ Opening a deep link (when app is not running)

This means users always see the splash screen, even when they tap a notification that should take them directly to a specific screen.

Native App Behavior

Native Android and iOS apps can detect notification launches even when:

• The app is completely terminated
• The app is in the background
• The app is not running at all

The Solution

The screen_launch_by_notfication plugin bridges this gap by:

1. Native Code Capture: Native code captures the notification launch event
2. Flag Storage: Native code saves a flag and payload in shared preferences
3. Early Detection: Flutter reads the flag via MethodChannel before runApp()
4. Smart Routing: Flutter decides the initial screen → splash / home / notification screen

Quickstart checklist (copy/paste)

1. Add the plugin + flutter_local_notifications.
2. Initialize before runApp().
3. Route on first frame using the payload.

void main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  final launch = await ScreenLaunchByNotfication.instance.initialize();

  runApp(MyApp(
    initialRoute: launch.isFromNotification ? '/notification' : '/splash',
    payload: launch.payload,
  ));
}

Installation

Add the package to your pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
  screen_launch_by_notfication: ^2.3.0
  flutter_local_notifications: ^19.5.0  # Recommended for sending notifications
  get: ^4.6.6  # Required only if using GetMaterialApp

Then run:

flutter pub get

Platform Setup

Android Setup

Good News: No native code setup required! 🎉 The plugin handles everything automatically.

Just ensure you have the required dependencies in your android/app/build.gradle.kts:

android {
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_17
        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_17
    }
}

Deep Link Configuration (Optional)

To enable deep linking, add intent filters to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<activity
    android:name=".MainActivity"
    android:exported="true"
    android:launchMode="singleTop">
    <!-- ... other intent filters ... -->
    
    <!-- Deep link intent filter -->
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
        <data android:scheme="yourapp" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

Replace yourapp with your custom scheme (e.g., myapp, notificationapp).

iOS Setup

Good News: No native code setup required! 🎉 The plugin handles everything automatically.

For iOS, you only need to request notification permissions in your app (if you haven’t already):

import UserNotifications

// In your AppDelegate or wherever you request permissions
UNUserNotificationCenter.current().requestAuthorization(options: [.alert, .sound, .badge]) { granted, error in
  if granted {
    DispatchQueue.main.async {
      UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications()
    }
  }
}

Deep Link Configuration (Optional)

To enable deep linking, add URL scheme to your ios/Runner/Info.plist:

<key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Editor</string>
        <key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
        <array>
            <string>yourapp</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
</array>

Replace yourapp with your custom scheme (e.g., myapp, notificationapp).

Note: The plugin automatically handles all notification detection, payload storage, and deep link handling. No need to modify AppDelegate.swift or MainActivity.kt!

Usage

Method 1: Using SwiftFlutterMaterial Widget (Recommended)

The easiest way to use this plugin is with the SwiftFlutterMaterial widget. Simply wrap your existing MaterialApp or GetMaterialApp:

With MaterialApp

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:screen_launch_by_notfication/screen_launch_by_notfication.dart';

void main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyApp({super.key});

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return SwiftFlutterMaterial(
      materialApp: MaterialApp(
        title: 'My App',
        theme: ThemeData(primarySwatch: Colors.blue),
        initialRoute: '/splash',
        routes: {
          '/splash': (_) => SplashScreen(),
          '/notification': (_) => NotificationScreen(),
          '/home': (_) => HomeScreen(),
        },
      ),
      onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
        if (isFromNotification) {
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/notification',
            payload: payload, // Pass full payload or null
          );
        }
        return null; // Use MaterialApp's initialRoute
      },
      onDeepLink: ({required url, required route, required queryParams}) {
        // Handle deep links (e.g., myapp://product/123)
        if (route == '/product') {
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/product',
            payload: {'productId': queryParams['id']},
          );
        }
        return null; // Skip navigation for unknown routes
      },
    );
  }
}

With GetMaterialApp

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:get/get.dart';
import 'package:screen_launch_by_notfication/screen_launch_by_notfication.dart';

void main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyApp({super.key});

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return SwiftFlutterMaterial(
      materialApp: GetMaterialApp(
        title: 'My App',
        theme: ThemeData(primarySwatch: Colors.blue),
        initialRoute: '/splash',
        getPages: [
          GetPage(name: '/splash', page: () => SplashScreen()),
          GetPage(name: '/notification', page: () => NotificationScreen()),
          GetPage(name: '/home', page: () => HomeScreen()),
        ],
      ),
      onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
        if (isFromNotification) {
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/notification',
            payload: payload,
          );
        }
        return null;
      },
      onDeepLink: ({required url, required route, required queryParams}) {
        if (route == '/product') {
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/product',
            payload: {'productId': queryParams['id']},
          );
        }
        return null;
      },
    );
  }
}

Method 2: Manual Detection (Advanced)

If you need more control, you can manually detect notification launches:

import 'package:screen_launch_by_notfication/screen_launch_by_notfication.dart';

void main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  
  // Check if app was launched from notification
  final launchInfo = await ScreenLaunchByNotification.checkLaunchFromNotification();
  
  String initialRoute = '/splash';
  Map<String, dynamic>? initialPayload;
  
  if (launchInfo.isFromNotification) {
    initialRoute = '/notification';
    initialPayload = launchInfo.payload;
  }
  
  runApp(MyApp(
    initialRoute: initialRoute,
    initialPayload: initialPayload,
  ));
}

Handling Notification Payload

Basic Payload Access

The payload contains all notification data:

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    final notificationId = payload['id'];
    final notificationType = payload['type'];
    final notificationData = payload['data'];
    
    // Route based on notification type
    if (notificationType == 'message') {
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/chat',
        payload: {'chatId': notificationData['chatId']},
      );
    } else if (notificationType == 'order') {
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/order',
        payload: {'orderId': notificationData['orderId']},
      );
    }
  }
  return null;
}

Complex Payload Structure

// Example notification payload structure
{
  "id": "12345",
  "type": "message",
  "title": "New Message",
  "body": "You have a new message",
  "data": {
    "chatId": "chat_123",
    "userId": "user_456",
    "timestamp": "2025-01-20T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

Deep Link Handling

URL Structure

Deep links follow this structure:

yourapp://route/segment?param1=value1&param2=value2

Examples:

• myapp://product/123
• myapp://chat/456?userId=789
• myapp://profile?tab=settings

Deep Link Handler

onDeepLink: ({required url, required route, required queryParams}) {
  print('Deep link received: $url');
  print('Route: $route');
  print('Query params: $queryParams');
  
  // Handle different routes
  switch (route) {
    case '/product':
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/product',
        payload: {'productId': route.split('/').last},
      );
      
    case '/chat':
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/chat',
        payload: {
          'chatId': route.split('/').last,
          'userId': queryParams['userId'],
        },
      );
      
    case '/profile':
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/profile',
        payload: {'tab': queryParams['tab']},
      );
      
    default:
      return null; // Unknown route, use default
  }
}

Real-World Examples

E-Commerce App

SwiftFlutterMaterial(
  materialApp: MaterialApp(
    // ... app config
  ),
  onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
    if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
      final type = payload['type'];
      
      switch (type) {
        case 'order_status':
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/orders',
            payload: {'orderId': payload['orderId']},
          );
        case 'promotion':
          return SwiftRouting(
            route: '/products',
            payload: {'category': payload['categoryId']},
          );
        default:
          return SwiftRouting(route: '/home');
      }
    }
    return null;
  },
)

Chat/Messaging App

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    final chatId = payload['data']?['chatId'];
    if (chatId != null) {
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/chat',
        payload: {
          'chatId': chatId,
          'messageId': payload['data']?['messageId'],
        },
      );
    }
  }
  return null;
}

Social Media App

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    final notificationType = payload['type'];
    
    if (notificationType == 'new_follower') {
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/profile',
        payload: {'userId': payload['data']?['userId']},
      );
    } else if (notificationType == 'like') {
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/post',
        payload: {'postId': payload['data']?['postId']},
      );
    }
  }
  return null;
}

Common Use Cases

1. Skip Splash Screen on Notification Launch

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification) {
    // Skip splash, go directly to notification screen
    return SwiftRouting(
      route: '/notification',
      payload: payload,
    );
  }
  // Normal launch, show splash
  return null;
}

2. Handle Different Notification Types

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    final type = payload['type'];
    
    if (type == 'urgent') {
      return SwiftRouting(route: '/urgent-notification');
    } else if (type == 'reminder') {
      return SwiftRouting(route: '/reminders');
    } else {
      return SwiftRouting(route: '/notifications');
    }
  }
  return null;
}

3. Pass Complex Data

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    return SwiftRouting(
      route: '/details',
      payload: {
        'id': payload['id'],
        'type': payload['type'],
        'data': payload['data'],
        'timestamp': DateTime.now().toIso8601String(),
      },
    );
  }
  return null;
}

Best Practices

1. Always Check Payload

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification && payload != null) {
    // Always validate payload structure
    if (payload.containsKey('type') && payload.containsKey('data')) {
      // Handle notification
    }
  }
  return null;
}

2. Provide Fallback Routes

onNotificationLaunch: ({required isFromNotification, required payload}) {
  if (isFromNotification) {
    try {
      // Try to route based on notification
      return SwiftRouting(
        route: '/notification',
        payload: payload,
      );
    } catch (e) {
      // Fallback to home on error
      return SwiftRouting(route: '/home');
    }
  }
  return null;
}

3. Handle Deep Links Securely

onDeepLink: ({required url, required route, required queryParams}) {
  // Validate deep link
  if (route.startsWith('/public')) {
    // Public routes are safe
    return SwiftRouting(route: route, payload: queryParams);
  } else if (route.startsWith('/private')) {
    // Check authentication first
    if (isAuthenticated) {
      return SwiftRouting(route: route, payload: queryParams);
    } else {
      return SwiftRouting(route: '/login');
    }
  }
  return null;
}

Troubleshooting

Notification Not Detected

Problem: App doesn’t detect notification launch.

Solutions:

1. Ensure notification permissions are granted
2. Check that flutter_local_notifications is properly configured
3. Verify notification payload structure
4. Check AndroidManifest.xml / Info.plist configuration

Deep Link Not Working

Problem: Deep links don’t open the app.

Solutions:

1. Verify URL scheme is correctly configured
2. Check intent filters in AndroidManifest.xml
3. Verify CFBundleURLSchemes in Info.plist
4. Test with adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "yourapp://test"

Payload is Null

Problem: Payload is null when notification is tapped.

Solutions:

1. Ensure notification has a data payload
2. Check notification payload structure matches expected format
3. Verify notification is sent with proper data field

Testing

Test Notification Launch (Android)

# Send test notification
adb shell am broadcast -a com.google.firebase.MESSAGING_EVENT \
  --es "notification" '{"title":"Test","body":"Test notification","data":{"type":"test"}}'

Test Deep Link (Android)

adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW \
  -d "yourapp://product/123"

Test Deep Link (iOS)

xcrun simctl openurl booted "yourapp://product/123"

Performance Considerations

1. Fast Detection: The plugin checks notification launch before runApp(), ensuring minimal delay
2. Payload Size: Keep payload sizes reasonable (< 4KB recommended)
3. Navigation: Direct routing skips unnecessary screens, improving perceived performance

Conclusion

The screen_launch_by_notfication plugin provides a seamless way to handle notification launches and deep links in Flutter apps. By detecting notification launches before the app initializes, you can provide a native-like experience that routes users directly to relevant screens.

Key benefits:

• ✅ Detect notification launches in all app states
• ✅ Zero native setup required
• ✅ Automatic deep link handling
• ✅ Works with MaterialApp and GetMaterialApp
• ✅ Cross-platform support (iOS & Android)

Resources

• Package on Pub.dev
• GitHub Repository
• Documentation
• Flutter Local Notifications

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Happy Building! 🚀