How to make Permission best practices backward compatible?

When developing Android applications that require permissions, following best practices for backward compatibility is essential. This ensures that your app functions correctly across different versions of Android while adhering to the security models imposed by newer Android versions.

Here are some key strategies to implement backward-compatible permission management in your Android application:

  1. Check Android Version: Always check the Android version at runtime to handle permissions differently based on the SDK version.
  2. Use the Support Libraries: Android support libraries can help bridge gaps between versions, allowing features to work consistently.
  3. Request Permissions at Runtime: For Android 6.0 (API Level 23) and above, use runtime permissions. For earlier versions, declare permissions in the manifest.
  4. Gracefully Handle Denied Permissions: Ensure your app handles situations where users deny permissions gracefully by providing fallbacks or informing users why permissions are needed.

Here’s an example code snippet demonstrating how to check and request permissions in a backward-compatible way:

<?php // Check if the Android version is Marshmallow or higher if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) { // Check if the permission is already granted if (checkSelfPermission(Manifest.permission.CAMERA) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) { // Request permission requestPermissions(new String[]{Manifest.permission.CAMERA}, CAMERA_REQUEST_CODE); } else { // Permission is granted, proceed with camera usage openCamera(); } } else { // For lower versions, permission is granted at install time openCamera(); } ?>

Android permissions backward compatibility runtime permissions Android best practices