👉 Overview
👀 What ?
iOS Protocol Handlers are mechanisms in the iOS operating system that allow apps to communicate with each other and with system components. They are used to handle specific types of URLs, enabling the iOS app to open and interact with the content of the URLs.
🧐 Why ?
Understanding iOS Protocol Handlers is important because they are an integral part of how apps interact with each other on iOS devices. They facilitate the sharing of data and functionality between apps, making it possible for apps to offer more diverse and integrated user experiences. Moreover, understanding how they work can help in identifying security vulnerabilities, as improper implementation can lead to data leak or unauthorized actions.
⛏️ How ?
To use iOS Protocol Handlers, you need to register a custom URL scheme for your app in the app's Info.plist file. This scheme is then used to form the URL that other apps can use to communicate with your app. When another app requests a URL with your app's custom scheme, iOS launches your app and passes the URL to it. Your app then processes the URL and performs the appropriate action.
⏳ When ?
iOS Protocol Handlers have been a part of the iOS architecture since its early versions. However, their usage has grown more complex and sophisticated over time as iOS has evolved and more inter-app communication features have been introduced.
⚙️ Technical Explanations
At a technical level, iOS Protocol Handlers are functions that are registered with the operating system to handle URLs with specific schemes. When an app or system component requests a URL with a registered scheme, the operating system invokes the corresponding handler function. This function then processes the URL, which can include parsing the URL's path and query parameters, and performs the appropriate action based on this information. This action can include launching a specific part of the app, performing a certain operation, or returning data to the requester.