This document discusses inter-app communication (IAC) on iOS, which allows apps to share data and functionality. It provides examples of common IAC techniques like custom URL schemes, universal links, and extensions. It recommends the IAC framework for easily implementing these connections. Developing friendly apps is beneficial as it makes apps more useful and helps other apps improve as well.

1. Hello

2. Who$am$I?
• Antonio'Cabezuelo'Vivo
• Freelance'iOS'developer'since'2008.
• Camera+,'Kiosko.net,'FunBox,'and'many'others.

3. The$roads$to$friendship

4. The$roads$to$friendship
making'your'apps'be0er'ci2zens'using'Inter6app'communica2on

5. What%is%Inter,app%communica2on?
“Is$the$process$by$which$two$apps$in$the$same$device$talk$to$each$
other$to$share$data$or$to$perform$ac8ons$relevant$to$the$context$of$
both$apps.”
—"me

6. Friendship*ways
• Family(ma)ers
• Lendings
• Smart(friends
• Fluent(conversa8ons

7. Family
• Apps%from%the%same%developer
• Use%a%shared'keychain1
• Use%an%app%group%NSUserDefaults
-initWithSuiteName:
1"Example"at"h,p://shaune.com.au/ios6keychain6sharing6data6between6apps/

8. Lending
• Apps%that%send/receive%data%to/from%other%apps
• Mul7ple%ways
• Via%"Open&in…"
• Via%Document&Provider%extensions
• Custom%URL&schemes%using%UIPasteboard
• Via%AppLinks

9. "Open&in…"
• Allows'to'send/receive'files'to/from'other'apps.
• Use'UIActivityViewController'to'send.
• Set'CFBundleDocumentTypes'in'Info.plist'to'support'
receiving'files
• Test'for'file:'url'scheme'in'UIApplica>onDelegate'method'
.applica1on:openURL:sourceApplica1on:annota1on:

10. Document)Provider
• Allows'other'apps'to'access'the'documents'managed'by'your'
app.
• Allows'your'app'to'access'documents'from'other'apps
• Accessed'by'any'app'using'a'
UIDocumentPickerViewController
• Example'at'http://www.macstories.net/tutorials/
implementing-ios-8-document-pickers/

11. Custom'URL'schemes2
• Every'app'can'add'support'for'mul$ple'custom'url'schemes.
• Configured'in'Info.plist'inside'URL*Types'sec:on
• To'launch'the'other'app'use:
[[UIApplication sharedApplication]
openURL:url];
• Send'data'via'url'parameters'or'UIPasteboard
2"h$p://handleopenurl.com

12. UIPasteboard
• Create'a'private'UIPasteboard
• Make'it'persistent
• Add,data'to'pasteboard'0ed'to'a'UTI
• Launch'friend'app'via'custom,URL,scheme'indica0ng'
pasteboard'name
• Read,data'from'pasteboard'inside'friend'app

13. AppLinks3
• Cross&pla*orm,-open-source,-and-simple-mobile-deep&linking.
• A-way-to-link-app-content-from-outside-the-app.
• Promoted-by-Facebook
• Reference-implementaAon-in-Bolts4
3"h$p://applinks.org/documenta8on/
4"h$ps://github.com/BoltsFramework/Bolts:iOS

14. The$smart$friends
Offer%custom%func.onality%to%other%apps.
• Via%extensions
• Audio%apps%can%use%Inter*app-audio5%or%Audiobus6
5"h$ps://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/InterAppAudioSuite/Introduc<on/Intro.html
6"h$p://audiob.us

15. Ac#on&extensions
• Allows'ac*ons'to'be'applied'to'different'content
• Through'UIActivityViewController
• Can'have'custom'UI'or'not.

16. Photo%extensions
• Allows'edi+ng'photos'inside'Photos.app'
• Can'only'be'one'for'each'type'(photo,'video)'in'a'containing'app.
• Photos.app'provides'original+adjustments'or'current'version'
• Must'support'both'device'orienta,ons

17. Fluent'conversa.ons
Apps$communicate$back&forth$using$URLs$with$custom$URL$
schemes.
• Both&apps&must&know&the&protocol&used.
• Be5er&using&x"callback"url
• Much&be5er&and&easier&using&the&IAC-framework

18. x"callback"url7
Provide(a(standardized(means(for(iOS(developers(to(expose(and(
document(the(methods(they(make(available(to(other(apps
URL$Structure
[scheme]://x-callback-url/[action]?[x-callback parameters]&[action parameters]
7"h$p://x)callback)url.com."Directory"at"h$p://philgr.com/library"

19. x"callback(parameters
• x"source"The"friendly"name"of"the"source"app"calling"the"ac6on
• x"success"URL"to"open"to"return"to"the"source"app"on"success
• x"error"URL"to"open"to"return"to"the"source"app"on"error
• x"cancel"URL"to"open"to"return"to"the"source"app"on"cancel

20. IAC$Framework
The$easiest$way$to$add$x"callback"url$support$to$your$app.
• Forget(about(parsing(complicated(URLs
• Use(Objec9ve;C(classes(with(callback(blocks
• Create(custom(classes(for(integra9ng(in(other(apps
h"ps://github.com/tapsandswipes/InterAppCommunica9on

21. Example
Adding&a&url&to&Instapaper&from&your&app.
Without'IAC
NSString *instapaperURL = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"x-callback-instapaper://x-callback-url/add?url=%@",
[@"http://tapsandswipes.com" urlEncodedString];
NSUrl *url = [NSUrl urlWithString:instapaperURL];
if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication] canOpenURL:url]) {
[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];
}

22. With%IAC
[[InstapaperIACClient client] add:@"http://tapsandswipes.com"];

23. DEMO

24. "Other"!ways
There%are%ways%to%be%friendship%not%accepted%by%the%Mother'Ship
• Via%reminders
• Via%custom,contact%in%address%book

25. The$future$of$friendship
(specula)ons)
• Open&Extensions&to&other&document&types&and&apps
• Standarize&x7callback7url&through&custom&interfaces
• Two&apps&on&screen&communica?ng&via&standard&APIs

26. Conclusions

27. Should'my'app'be'friendly?
YES
“The%only%way%to%have%a%friend%is%to%be%one”
—"not"me

28. Should'my'app'be'friendly?
YES
“The%only%way%to%have%a%friend%is%to%be%one”
—"Ralph"Waldo"Emerson

29. Why?
• Makes'your'app'be.er.
• Adds'more'uses'to'your'app.
• Helps'other'apps'to'be'be.er.

30. Don’t&forget&to&always&add
CommonSense.framework
to#all#your#projects

31. Thank&you

32. Contact'info
Twi$er:(@acvivo
e"mail:(antonio@tapsandswipes.com
web:%h"p://tapsandswipes.com
Github:(h"p://github.com/tapsandswipes