What version of Android should you use as your minimum target?

The Target Android Version (also known as targetSdkVersion ) is the API level of the Android device where the app expects to run . Android uses this setting to determine whether to enable any compatibility behaviors – this ensures that your app continues to work the way you expect.

CompileSdkVersion: The compileSdkVersion is the version of the API the app is compiled against . This means you can use Android API features included in that version of the API (as well as all previous versions, obviously). TargetSdkVersion: The target sdk version is the version your app is targeted to run on.

CompileSdkVersion: The compileSdkVersion is the version of the API the app is compiled against . This means you can use Android API features included in that version of the API (as well as all previous versions, obviously). TargetSdkVersion: The target sdk version is the version your app is targeted to run on.

android:targetSdkVersion — Specifies the API Level on which the application is designed to run . In some cases, this allows the application to use manifest elements or behaviors defined in the target API Level, rather than being restricted to using only those defined for the minimum API Level.

Generally, companies target a minimum version of KitKat, or SDK 19 , for new endeavors. For personal projects, we usually choose Lollipop, or SDK 21, as it brings a number of improvements to the table, such as improved build times.