Android Version Adaptation Guide

This skill provides a comprehensive checklist and solution guide for adapting Android applications to newer Android versions, ranging from Android 8.0 (Oreo) to Android 15 (Vanilla Ice Cream).

🚀 Adaptation Strategy

1. Update compileSdkVersion: Always compile with the latest SDK to access new APIs.
2. Update targetSdkVersion Incrementally: Update one version at a time (e.g., 30 -> 31 -> 32) and test thoroughly.
3. Review Changes: Check "Behavior changes: all apps" and "Behavior changes: apps targeting Android X" for the specific version.
4. Test: Test on emulators or real devices running the target version.

---

📱 Version-Specific Changes

Android 15 (API 35) - Vanilla Ice Cream

Ref: Official Android 15 Migration Guide

• Edge-to-Edge Enforcement:
  • Change: Apps targeting SDK 35 are displayed edge-to-edge by default. Status bar and navigation bar backgrounds are transparent.
  • Action: Use WindowInsets to handle overlaps.
  • Opt-out: Set <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement">true</item> in your theme (Temporary).
  • Deprecated: window.statusBarColor and window.navigationBarColor are ignored.
• Foreground Service Timeouts:
  • Change: dataSync and mediaProcessing foreground services have a roughly 6-hour execution limit.
• Screen Recording Detection:
  • New API: Apps can detect if they are being recorded using WindowManager.addScreenRecordingCallback.
• Package Visibility:
  • Change: Stopped apps are no longer visible to other apps, even if they have QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission.

Android 14 (API 34) - Upside Down Cake

Ref: Official Android 14 Migration Guide

• Foreground Service Types (Mandatory):
  • Change: Must specify android:foregroundServiceType in Manifest for all services calling startForeground().
  • Types: camera, location, mediaPlayback, dataSync, microphone, phoneCall, connectedDevice, etc.
  • Action: <service android:name=".MyService" android:foregroundServiceType="mediaPlayback" />
• Exact Alarms Denied by Default:
  • Change: SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM permission is no longer pre-granted to most apps.
  • Action: Use USE_EXACT_ALARM (if eligible) or prompt user to grant permission.
• Selected Photos Access:
  • Change: User can grant access to only selected photos.
  • Action: Handle READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED permission.
• Implicit Intents:
  • Change: Implicit intents are restricted for internal app components. Exported components must be explicit.

Android 13 (API 33) - Tiramisu

Ref: Official Android 13 Migration Guide

• Notification Permission:
  • Change: Runtime permission POST_NOTIFICATIONS is required to post notifications.
  • Action: Request permission at runtime.
• Granular Media Permissions:
  • Change: READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE is deprecated. Use granular permissions:
    • READ_MEDIA_IMAGES
    • READ_MEDIA_VIDEO
    • READ_MEDIA_AUDIO
• Nearby Wi-Fi Devices:
  • Change: NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES permission for local Wi-Fi scanning. No longer requires Location permission for this use case.
• Photo Picker:
  • New API: System UI for picking photos without requiring full storage permissions.

Android 12 (API 31/32) - Snow Cone

Ref: Official Android 12 Migration Guide

• Splash Screen:
  • Change: System enforces a default splash screen.
  • Action: Use androidx.core:core-splashscreen library to customize it.
• PendingIntent Mutability:
  • Change: Must specify PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE or PendingIntent.FLAG_MUTABLE.
• Exported Components:
  • Change: Must explicitly set android:exported="true" or "false" for activities/services/receivers with intent filters.
• Bluetooth Permissions:
  • Change: New runtime permissions BLUETOOTH_SCAN, BLUETOOTH_CONNECT, BLUETOOTH_ADVERTISE. Legacy BLUETOOTH and BLUETOOTH_ADMIN are deprecated.

Android 11 (API 30) - Red Velvet Cake

Ref: Official Android 11 Migration Guide

• Package Visibility:
  • Change: Apps can no longer see all installed packages.
  • Action: Use <queries> in Manifest to declare packages you interact with.
• Scoped Storage (Enforced):
  • Change: WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE is deprecated and has no effect on API 30+.
  • Action: Use MediaStore or Storage Access Framework (SAF). For file managers, request MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE.
• Toast:
  • Change: Custom toasts from background are blocked.
• Phone Number Access:
  • Change: READ_PHONE_STATE no longer grants access to phone numbers. Use READ_PHONE_NUMBERS.

Android 10 (API 29) - Quince Tart

• Scoped Storage (Introduced):
  • Action: Can opt-out using requestLegacyExternalStorage="true" (Only works up to API 29).
• Background Location:
  • Change: ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION required for accessing location while app is in background.
• Device Identifiers:
  • Change: IMEI/Serial no longer accessible to non-system apps. Use Android ID or GUID.

Android 9.0 (API 28) - Pie

• Cleartext Traffic (HTTP):
  • Change: HTTP is disabled by default.
  • Action: Add android:usesCleartextTraffic="true" in Manifest or configure network_security_config.xml.
• Foreground Service Permission:
  • Change: Requires FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission (normal permission, auto-granted).

Android 8.0 (API 26) - Oreo

• Notification Channels:
  • Change: Mandatory. All notifications must be assigned to a channel.
• Background Execution Limits:
  • Change: Services cannot run in background when app is idle. Use JobScheduler or WorkManager.
• APK Installation:
  • Change: Requires REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission.

---

🛠 Common Solutions & Code Snippets

1. Notification Permission Check (Android 13+)

fun checkNotificationPermission(activity: Activity) {
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) {
        if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(activity, Manifest.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(activity, arrayOf(Manifest.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS), 101)
        }
    }
}

2. Creating Notification Channel (Android 8.0+)

fun createNotificationChannel(context: Context) {
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
        val name = "My Channel"
        val descriptionText = "Channel description"
        val importance = NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT
        val channel = NotificationChannel("CHANNEL_ID", name, importance).apply {
            description = descriptionText
        }
        val notificationManager: NotificationManager =
            context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE) as NotificationManager
        notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel)
    }
}

3. FileProvider Configuration (Android 7.0+)

Required for sharing files (installing APKs, taking photos).

AndroidManifest.xml:

<provider
    android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
    android:authorities="${applicationId}.fileprovider"
    android:exported="false"
    android:grantUriPermissions="true">
    <meta-data
        android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
        android:resource="@xml/file_paths" />
</provider>

res/xml/file_paths.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
    <external-path name="external_files" path="."/>
    <cache-path name="cache_files" path="."/>
</paths>

4. Network Security Config (Allow HTTP)

AndroidManifest.xml:

<application
    android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config"
    ...>

res/xml/network_security_config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<network-security-config>
    <!-- Allow Cleartext Traffic -->
    <base-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
        <trust-anchors>
            <certificates src="system" />
        </trust-anchors>
    </base-config>
    
    <!-- Allow User Certificates for Debugging (Charles/Fiddler) -->
    <debug-overrides>
        <trust-anchors>
            <certificates src="user" />
            <certificates src="system" />
        </trust-anchors>
    </debug-overrides>
</network-security-config>

5. Package Visibility (Android 11+)

AndroidManifest.xml:

<manifest package="com.example.app">
    <queries>
        <!-- Specific apps -->
        <package android:name="com.whatsapp" />
        <package android:name="com.facebook.katana" />
        
        <!-- Intent signatures -->
        <intent>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
            <data android:mimeType="image/jpeg" />
        </intent>
    </queries>
    ...
</manifest>