At a glance: Learn about the AppsFlyer SDK functionalities that are available and determine which APIs you want your Android or iOS app to use.
Watch this video to get the big picture of SDK integration.
Related reading
For a complete picture of planning the SDK integration with your app, be sure to read these articles:
- SDK integration overview (this article)
- Basic SDK integration guide
- Additional SDK integration guide
- CTV, PC, and console platform overview
About the SDK
The SDK provides app installation and event recording functionality. You can record installs, sessions, and in-app events. In-app events include, for example, in-app purchases or leveling up in a game. Recording these events can help you evaluate ROI and user quality.
This article describes the process for the SDK V6+ integration and helps advertisers (app owners) and product managers plan the AppsFlyer SDK integration with their Android or iOS app.
Additional documentation includes the following:
- Updating to iOS SDK V6. Note that iOS SDK V5.4.4 is fully operational with iOS 14. However, we recommend adopting SDK V6.X to ensure compatibility with future iOS releases.
- SDK installation documentation for developers
- Release notes
- SDK reference documentation for developers
- Preparing for the App Store review—nutrition labels
SDK compatibility
The AppsFlyer SDK is compatible with the following platforms:
- Starting Android V4.0
- Non-mobile Android-based platforms, such as Smart TVs (including Amazon Fire TV). See CTV overview
- Out-of-store markets for Android apps, such as Amazon and Baidu
- iOS 9+ (iPhone, iPod, iPad)
- tvOS 9+ (Apple TV)
- Complies with Apple IPv6 DNS64/NAT64 networks
The SDK supports multiple attribution methods. The attribution methods that are used depend on the following:
- The iOS version installed on the user's device
- The iOS SDK version installed in the app
| Attribution methods supported | iOS version | iOS SDK support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probabilistic modeling |
8 – 14.4 |
5.0.0+ | |
|
14.5+ |
6.0.3+ | Probabilistic modeling is limited to the context of owned media, cross-promotion, and consented web-to-app flows. | |
|
ID matching |
8 - 13 | 5.0.0+ | Users can opt out using Limit Ad Tracking (LAT). |
| 14.5+ | 6.0.3+ |
App Tracking Transparency (ATT) and user consent is required. For more information, see configure the iOS SDK to support ATT. |
|
|
11.3 - 13 |
6.2.3 |
The SKAdNetwork (SKAN) solution is limited to install attribution in accordance with the SKAN specification, meaning there is no conversion value. |
|
|
14+ |
|
Starting from SDK V6.0.8, Apple App Clips attribution is available. You can also read our blog post about Apple App Clips.
SDK integration
The process of installing and integrating the SDK requires the product manager and mobile developer to work together. Before integrating the SDK with your app, review all of the integration tasks and consider the functionalities that you want your app to use.
SDK planning checklist
To get you started, we've prepared a checklist to help guide you through the planning process. For each task, there are links to the marketer and developer documentation.
SDK integration tasks
The basic SDK integration includes the following tasks. Time estimates are intended as general guidance only.
| Basic SDK integration tasks | Planning time |
|---|---|
|
Retrieve the AppsFlyer dev key and send the link along with installation and integration instructions to your developer. |
15 mins |
|
Review the attribution considerations, and determine which device identifiers to collect. |
30 mins |
|
Determine the in-app events that you want to measure, and send the event names and event parameters to the developer. |
1 hour |
|
Determine the deep linking methods to use. |
30 mins |
| Determine the methods for accessing attribution data. | 30 mins |
|
Once the basic integration is complete, any account user with access to the AppsFlyer dashboard can perform basic testing. Developers can utilize debug logs in the development environment. |
1 hour |
You can work with your mobile developers to implement these additional APIs in the SDK.
| Additional SDK integration tasks | Planning time |
|---|---|
|
Determine if your app requires additional attribution setup (for example, uninstall measurement or install attribution for third-party app stores). |
30 mins |
| Determine user session reporting. | 30 mins |
|
Determine the attribution methods to use for owned media sources. |
1 hour |
|
Manage user privacy policies to make sure your app complies with privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA). |
1 hour |