Facebooks App Links initiative, aimed at making it easier for developers to link to specific content within apps, is gaining analytics tools.

App Links was launched earlier this year in partnership with Parse, which Facebook purchased last year, and Mixpanel, with the idea of creating cross-platform, open source mobile deep-linking for apps.

The data available through the tools is simplistic, providing developers with information when they send someone to another app, when users arrive at their apps from App Links, and when someone returns to their own app from another app.

While not hugely valuable, it does allow App Links to begin building towards developers using its tools for eCommerce and ads on Facebooks mobile News Feed. Facebooks ideal future would likely see developers paying to get their apps installed on devices, and then paying again to re-target users with deep-linking ads to specific content.

In addition to the launch of the analytics tools, Facebook has announced several minor updates to App Links, such as support for both Windows 8 and universal Windows apps, and the ability to detect taps of the Android back button.