Questions tagged [android-api-levels]

Each Android version is assigned a unique integer identifier, called the API Level.

As the Android platform evolves and new Android versions are released, each Android version is assigned a unique integer identifier, called the API Level. Because users install apps on older as well as the most recent versions of Android, real-world Android apps must be designed to work with multiple Android API levels.

Each release of Android goes by multiple names:

  • The Android version, such as Android 4.4
  • The API level, such as "API Level 19"
  • A dessert name, such as "KitKat"

Each Android device supports exactly one API level – this API level is guaranteed to be unique per Android platform version. The API level exactly identifies the version of the libraries that your app can call into; it identifies the combination of manifest elements, permissions, etc. that you code against as a developer. Android's system of API levels helps Android determine whether an application is compatible with an Android system image prior to installing the application on a device. When an application is built, it contains the following API level information:

  • The target API level of Android that the app is built to run on.
  • The minimum API level of Android that is required to run the app.

These settings are used to ensure that the functionality needed to run the app correctly is available on the Android device at installation time. If not, the app is blocked from running on that device. For example, if the API level of an Android device is lower than the minimum API level that you specify for your app, the Android device will prevent the user from installing your app.

Source: https://developer.xamarin.com/guides/android/application_fundamentals/understanding_android_api_levels/

324 questions
4
votes
1 answer

Using deprecated functions on older API versions?

Background: I am making my app with minimum API level 17. I was looking up ways to get the size of the file system and saw this: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/StatFs.html However, a lot of the newer functions are only available…
KaliMa
  • 1,970
  • 6
  • 26
  • 51
4
votes
1 answer

When are API levels marked as obsolete in the Android SDK Manager?

I noticed that within the Android SDK Manager, it appears that most API levels below 15 are marked as obsolete (including API level 9). But then I saw that API levels 8 and 10 are not marked as obsolete. Why is that? And when will an Android API…
MC Emperor
  • 22,334
  • 15
  • 80
  • 130
4
votes
2 answers

Exclusive Layouts for certain api level - Android

I have a Layout that I would like to use only for tablets. I know that if create a folder "layout-v(api level)" that layout will be used only for that specific api. the thing is, for tablets, either you have api 11, 12, or 13. Is there a way I can…
Akash
  • 367
  • 9
  • 21
3
votes
5 answers

Android & Eclipse: Changing application API level

I am having some difficulty in figuring out how to change an applications API level - the only available level I can configure is level 15. This is not so good as the device I am attempting to test software is running on level 8. Does anyone know I…
Php Pete
  • 762
  • 3
  • 14
  • 29
3
votes
0 answers

After upgrading target sdk version to 33(android 13), Flutter app is installing but not launching automatically

I have changed targetSdkVersion and compileSdkVersion to 33,and minSdkVersion is 23 in build.gradle file and in AndroidManifest.xml, updated permissions like this When I do flutter run, App is installing in emulator(api level 33) and apk also…
3
votes
0 answers

Android deep links are not working with target SDK 33

We recently migrated my apps target SDK to 33, from that app links are not working fine in emulator but not working in real device I googled about it and manually opted for web address in my device and links are working fine, but I cant ask app…
3
votes
0 answers

Android Studio - Unresolved reference error

I am trying to compile an app which still uses the, now deprecated, start/stopUsingNetworkFeature and requestRouteToHost. To that end, I am following this answer. However, I am still getting "Unresolved reference" errors for all three…
Iorpim
  • 167
  • 2
  • 9
3
votes
1 answer

Permission Denial: Couln't attach file, File requires the provider be exported, or grantUriPermission(), API 29

I have been trying to share one image from external storage and it is not working in API 29. the error message is: Permission denial, the file requires the provider be exported, or grantUriPermission(). when I google it it seems to be a problem to…
3
votes
1 answer

How to read an existing file from device's shared storage(root directory) in Android 10, Target API 29?

I need to read a file stored in android root directory(/storage/emulated/0/MyFolder) while launching the app first time. It was possible till API level 28 by using Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), But after I migrated to API level 29,…
Natarajan
  • 3,241
  • 3
  • 17
  • 34
3
votes
2 answers

Error:(280, 61) error: cannot access zza class file for com.google.android.gms.common.internal.safeparcel.zza not found

In my build.gradle I was using this: android { compileSdkVersion 23 .... .... defaultConfig { .... targetSdkVersion 23 } } .... .... dependencies { compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:9.0.0' …
Jaime Montoya
  • 6,915
  • 14
  • 67
  • 103
3
votes
2 answers

Is there any advantage to not updating target NDK platform?

I'm maintaining a (relatively) old Android application that uses NDK built library for some functions. It was originally built for NDK platform level 9. I've been trying to modernize the build infrastructure and as part of that I'm using updated SDK…
Guss
  • 30,470
  • 17
  • 104
  • 128
3
votes
0 answers

How to convert Japanese Era date-String to Western date in Android?

In Android i have to parse a Date string("平成30年10月 24日") having Japanese Era to western date for comparison.Can anyone help in how to do this? I have tried this to run in Android Studio and it is working fine: DateFormat format = new…
NullPointer
  • 7,094
  • 5
  • 27
  • 41
3
votes
2 answers

What's the Impact of minSdkVersion upgrade in Android?

I've an Android application with below configurations. minSdkVersion 17 targetSdkVersion 26 compileSdkVersion 26 buildToolsVersion '26.0.3' Now as part of Android P upgrade, I'm updating the targetSdkVersion to API 28. I would also like to update…
Amrut
  • 2,655
  • 3
  • 24
  • 44
3
votes
1 answer

How to check if an emoji is supported by any device or not?

I want to check if an emoji is supported by a different device or not. See below screenshot: Here you are able to see some of the emoji that are not supported by device so how can I check wether device is able to show that image or not? I'm able to…
user9140980
3
votes
2 answers

What is the difference between the "Android P" and "API Level 27" system images?

What is the difference between the top two system images entries currently in this Android Studio dialog: You can see that neither Oreo, API 27, or P or listed in the "API level distribution chart."
Ilias Karim
  • 4,798
  • 3
  • 38
  • 60