Branch v1/open api call happening twice with customTabs plugin

[pa1pal]

Describe the bug

Hi @RodrigoSMarques
When we use custom tabs plugin and open a web page the lifecycle is calling again which is calling v1/open api.

Plugin used - https://pub.dev/packages/flutter_inappwebview

Steps to reproduce

1. Clone my code here - https://github.com/pa1pal/flutter_branch_sdk
2. Run and check the logs.

A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen.

When we use custom tabs plugin and open a web page the lifecycle is calling again which is calling v1/open api.

Plugin Version

8.10.0

Flutter Version

stable

Android/iOS/Web

android

Make and Model

Pixel 9

Additional Information/Context

No response

[RodrigoSMarques]

If the flutter_inappwebview plugin triggers the Main Activity's lifecycle, forcing it to restart, the open event will be triggered.

I don't know how this could be handled in the plugin, since the native SDK sends the open event.

[pawanpal-branch]

@RodrigoSMarques
Can we do defer init the SDK and do not call flutter init when user comes back from custom tabs using some flag ?

cc: @RahnRazamai

[RodrigoSMarques]

@pawanpal-branch

To clarify, this is a plugin that acts as a wrapper for the Native SDK. What you are suggesting is not implemented at the Flutter level.

The Activity Lifecycle control is implemented in the native code, following the guidelines from the Branch documentation found here:

https://help.branch.io/developers-hub/docs/android-basic-integration#5-load-branch

https://help.branch.io/developers-hub/docs/android-basic-integration#6-initialize-branch

Based on my analysis, the flutter_inappwebview plugin recreates the Activity. By recreating the Activity, the onStart method is called again, which causes the duplication of events.

Does the native Android SDK have any flag to delay this process? How would the code identify that the user is returning from a Custom Tab?

@pa1pal

Your repository appears to be a copy of mine. I was unable to download your test project.

[pawanpal-branch]

Yes @RodrigoSMarques

1. We have this feature for native SDK - https://help.branch.io/developers-hub/docs/android-advanced-features#delay-branch-initialization
   What it does it doesnt automatically initialize and only do when we call session builder function. This way we can we delay or stop the init.

2. Yes I created a fork of your repo to add the code in example app, you can add another remote in your repo to clone my code in separate branch.

3. git remote add <remote_name> <fork_url>
   

4. git fetch <remote_name>
   

5. git checkout -b <local_branch_name> <remote_name>/<contributor_branch_name>
   

[RodrigoSMarques]

• What it does it doesnt automatically initialize and only do when we call session builder function. This way we can we delay or stop the init.

@pawanpal-branch

The scenario that is occurring is different and is not related to a delayed initialization.

The delayed initialization you referred to is already implemented in this plugin to ensure it can load and configure correctly.

The challenge is not about delaying the process, but rather about correctly identifying the difference between the first time the app is opened versus when it is returning from a Custom Tab.

The Flutter plugin being used (flutter_inappwebview) is recreating the Android Activity, which causes the SDK to interpret it as a new application launch (open event).

[pawanpal-branch]

Yes @RodrigoSMarques
I was thinking for an alternative approach by delaying init.

1. Delay init.
2. Get the link params and redirect to in-app webview.
3. When user press back, they can add a flag to check if user is coming back from webview.
4. Do not call init in this case.

[RodrigoSMarques]

@pawanpal-branch

To clarify, it is the (flutter_inappwebview) plugin that is recreating the Activity, not this plugin.

As stated in the documentation, the Branch SDK should be invoked every time the Activity's onStart method is called.

Placing a flag in this plugin would be ineffective, as any stored variable would be lost when the Activity is recreated.

The problem lies with the behavior of the flutter_inappwebview plugin.

[pawanpal-branch]

I agree @RodrigoSMarques.
Is there any alternative approach?
Because this way duplicate open events are getting counted. This will impact analytics and billing.

The api call is happening when user press backbutton from in-app webview.

[RodrigoSMarques]

@pawanpal-branch

I do not have prior experience with the flutter_inappwebview plugin or with handling Custom Tabs.

To properly evaluate what can be done, I would need a functional code sample that reproduces the issue.

[pawanpal-branch]

yes @RodrigoSMarques
Pushed the code here - https://github.com/pa1pal/flutter_branch_sdk

[RodrigoSMarques]

@pawanpal-branch

I have downloaded and executed the project from the repository.

My analysis shows that the project includes options to use either a WebView (via flutter_inappwebview) or Custom Tabs (via flutter_custom_tabs).

In my tests, the behavior when using flutter_inappwebview is as expected, because it does not recreate the Activity.

However, when using flutter_custom_tabs, I identified in the logs that this plugin initializes a new Activity. When this new Activity is closed, it subsequently recreates the main Activity, forcing our plugin to execute again.

2025-11-05 01:27:35.507 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered onActivityPaused: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:38.915 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered onActivityStopped: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:44.699 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered onActivityStarted: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:44.699 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered SessionBuilder init
2025-11-05 01:27:44.700 19829-19829 BranchSDK               br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  V  InitSessionBuilder setting BranchReferralInitListener withCallback with br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:44.701 19829-19829 BranchSDK               br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  V  Callback is br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:44.916 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered onActivityResumed: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:45.238 19829-20000 BranchSDK               br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  V  callback to be returned br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:45.970 19829-19911 BranchSDK               br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  V  Server returned: [9fd4eb40-3ee4-482c-8adc-09fe84fb8ddd-2025110504] Status: [200]; Data: {"data":"{\"+clicked_branch_link\":false,\"+is_first_session\":false}","link":"https://flutterbranchsdk.test-app.link?%24randomized_bundle_token=1514468190695162021","randomized_bundle_token":"1514468190695162021","randomized_device_token":"1514468190645098856","session_id":"1514473584486317676"}
2025-11-05 01:27:45.990 19829-19829 BranchSDK               br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  V  onRequestSucceeded io.branch.referral.ServerRequestRegisterOpen@d95df20 io.branch.referral.ServerResponse@9d98e4d on callback br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:46.010 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  triggered onInitFinished
2025-11-05 01:27:46.017 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK        br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example  D  BranchReferralInitListener - params: {"+clicked_branch_link":false,"+is_first_session":false}

As I previously mentioned, the issue stems from the behavior of the flutter_custom_tabs plugin.

Could you clarify the project's requirement for using flutter_custom_tabs? Why does flutter_inappwebview not meet the project's needs?

From a visual perspective, both plugins appear to serve the same purpose and are identical in appearance.

flutter_inappwebview	flutter_custom_tabs

[RahnRazamai]

@pawanpal-branch

I have downloaded and executed the project from the repository.

My analysis shows that the project includes options to use either a WebView (via flutter_inappwebview) or Custom Tabs (via flutter_custom_tabs).

In my tests, the behavior when using flutter_inappwebview is as expected, because it does not recreate the Activity.

However, when using flutter_custom_tabs, I identified in the logs that this plugin initializes a new Activity. When this new Activity is closed, it subsequently recreates the main Activity, forcing our plugin to execute again.

2025-11-05 01:27:35.507 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered onActivityPaused: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:38.915 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered onActivityStopped: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:44.699 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered onActivityStarted: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:44.699 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered SessionBuilder init
2025-11-05 01:27:44.700 19829-19829 BranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example V InitSessionBuilder setting BranchReferralInitListener withCallback with br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:44.701 19829-19829 BranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example V Callback is br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:44.916 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered onActivityResumed: br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk_example.MainActivity
2025-11-05 01:27:45.238 19829-20000 BranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example V callback to be returned br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:45.970 19829-19911 BranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example V Server returned: [9fd4eb40-3ee4-482c-8adc-09fe84fb8ddd-2025110504] Status: [200]; Data: {"data":"{"+clicked_branch_link":false,"+is_first_session":false}","link":"https://flutterbranchsdk.test-app.link?%24randomized_bundle_token=1514468190695162021","randomized_bundle_token":"1514468190695162021","randomized_device_token":"1514468190645098856","session_id":"1514473584486317676"}
2025-11-05 01:27:45.990 19829-19829 BranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example V onRequestSucceeded io.branch.referral.ServerRequestRegisterOpen@d95df20 io.branch.referral.ServerResponse@9d98e4d on callback br.com.rsmarques.flutter_branch_sdk.FlutterBranchSdkPlugin$$ExternalSyntheticLambda13@3f8ccaa
2025-11-05 01:27:46.010 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D triggered onInitFinished
2025-11-05 01:27:46.017 19829-19829 FlutterBranchSDK br....es.flutter_branch_sdk_example D BranchReferralInitListener - params: {"+clicked_branch_link":false,"+is_first_session":false}
As I previously mentioned, the issue stems from the behavior of the flutter_custom_tabs plugin.

Could you clarify the project's requirement for using flutter_custom_tabs? Why does flutter_inappwebview not meet the project's needs?

From a visual perspective, both plugins appear to serve the same purpose and are identical in appearance.

flutter_inappwebview flutter_custom_tabs

Our project necessitates the utilization of custom tabs for security reasons. Unless there is a compelling need to communicate with the webpage, we will continue to employ custom tabs. This decision is driven by the inherent security requirements associated with this task. We trust that this clarification is sufficient. @pa1pal @RodrigoSMarques

[RodrigoSMarques]

OK.

The implementation of the Flutter Plugin is correct, as per the official documentation (https://help.branch.io/developers-hub/docs/android-basic-integration).

According to the documentation, the Branch SDK should be initialized whenever the Android MainActivity becomes active—that is, when its onStart lifecycle method is triggered. This includes the initial application launch, returning from the background, or navigating back from another screen.

What I am observing is that flutter_custom_tabs is calling the onStart method after its screen is closed. I am not sure if this is the expected behavior, given that this does not occur when using flutter_inappwebview.

I am continuing to analyze the issue.