*minSdkVersion:* If this is less than the version you are compiling against, *you *have to take care with Java code (methods/classes/etc) that is defined in sdk-versions higher than the declared minSdkVersion. *You *have to deal with making your code somehow compatible with older sdk-versions.
When you increase your app's minSdkVersion, your code may become a bit less complicated, since you no longer have to deal with compatibility of the sdk-version lower than your declared minSdkVersion. But your app becomes unavailable to users with older devices (if they download it from Google Play). When you decrease your app's minSdkVersion (which would hardly ever happen), your code may become more complicated, since you have to deal with compatibility with even older versions of the android sdk. Your app will become available to users with older devices (if they download it from Google Play). *targetSdkVersion:* This equal or more than your minSdkVersion. When you change this, (default) behavior of certain classes/components/etc may change on devices that run Android versions equal or larger(/newer) than your declared targetSdkVersion. When you change this, you'll need to *test your app thoroughly *again! *Google *implements a so-called compatibility layer that cues of the declared targetSdkVersion and the compatibility-layer's behavior differs for different values of targetSdkVersion. Changing the minSdkVersion won't do anything for 'improving the run time', if you mean 'improve performance' by that. Changing the targetSdkVersion won't do anything for performance either, but it may increase usability, look-and-feel, behavior on certain types of devices that run your app. You need to test this, though. On Monday, October 28, 2013 10:26:06 AM UTC-4, firebreather wrote: > > info seems fuzzy on the impact of changing minsdkversion declaration, > particularly in the android docs, where it appears to just limit the number > of phones the app site will allow to download your app. if that was the > case then you'd think everyone would just declare minsdk of 1. > > i'm developing on version 14 with minsdk declared of 10 (recently up from > 8). my biggest user categories are tablets according to my dashboard. > according to the docs, I need minsdk declaration of 11, among several other > things, for tablets to use my apps. > > is this bad information? why can tablets use my app now if 11 is really > needed? > > will raising the min to 11 change the executable code, improving the run > time for my games on version 11 and up phones and tablets? > > thank you. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
