Mobile device applications may be developed and distributed which include abbreviated, content-based references for one or more network resources. Network resource references may be identified by a native shell running on a mobile device, and a network resource lookup may be performed in order to resolve the network resource reference to the network resource. This allows for dynamic access to network-accessible resources such as catalog services, metric services, and advertising services. A mobile application may provide in-app access to such resources without requiring the application's developer to include detailed application programming interface functionality specific to a particular network resource.