Publish an android app plugin as instant app

Question

Is it possible to publish just a plugin as instant app, which might not be a part of the main app in the apk that gets downloaded from playstore ?

For example a todo app plugin from a productivity app? The productivity app might have a lot of other plugins too like routine, diary etc. Can i publish that todo plugin as an Instant app which might not come as default in the main app apk while downloading from playstore ?

Define "plugin". Is that an individually launchable app? If so, why wouldn't it be able to be an instant app? — OneCricketeer, Aug 24 '17 at 00:43
It will not be launchable from launcher. And will blend with the main app once installed. — erluxman, Aug 24 '17 at 01:10
Well, as long as you have an app link to any activity, should be possible https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/instant-app-links.html — OneCricketeer, Aug 24 '17 at 01:51
But my major concern is that what if the plugin does not come inside the main apk, Yeah it seems to be a absurd idea and UX, but I think than be addressed with some UX and intent filters. — erluxman, Aug 24 '17 at 01:54
You can install an app that doesn't have a launcher intent, if that's what you're concerned about — OneCricketeer, Aug 24 '17 at 02:00
Thanks for the kind participation. I seem to have found the solution but is not precisely the answer to this question? Shall We close this question ? — erluxman, Aug 24 '17 at 02:03
The solution in my case was different app which will instruct users install the main app. — erluxman, Aug 24 '17 at 02:17

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 06 '18 at 10:58

An Instant App is meant to be a feature or one of many features of your Main App (installed app). The experience between your instant app and your installed app is supposed to be the same UX best practices for apps on Google Play Instant. If you route your users from the instant app to an entirely different app that may or may not contain the same features (activities), then this is not recommended.

To apply your productivity app example, consisting of routine, diary, etc.; each feature of your Instant App would cater to each of those parts. For example:

http://www.example.com/check-routine > launches the Instant App (feature) for your routine activity.
http://www.example.com/write-diary > launches the Instant App (feature) for your diary activity.

Then once users have installed your main app, any of those links would now open the main app and bring them to the same respective activities.

For more information on multi-feature Instant Apps, see the doc and hello-feature-module sample:

Publish an android app plugin as instant app

1 Answers1