Date post: | 14-May-2015 |
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Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
AnDevCon III
Backwards Compatibility: Strategies and
Tactics
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Device Mix
image Copyright © 2012 Google, Inc. – reprinted with permission
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Device Mix
● The Market Is Not the World● Kindle Fire● NOOK Tablet● Wearables (WIMM, I'm Watch, etc.)● Miscellaneous non-Market devices
● If You Distribute to These, Take Their Versions Into Account!
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Device Mix
● Predictions Sure To Go Wrong● November 2012: ICS and newer reaches majority status
– New device sales– Upgrades for existing devices
● December 2012: Mayan Apocalypse● April 2013: Android 2.x below 20%● September 2013: Android 2.x below 5%● December 2013: Ragnarök
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Competing Strategies
● Old API-Centric● Lowest common denominator● Today: Android 2.3, maybe 2.2● Only deal with newer things when unavoidable
● New API-Centric● More aggressively support newer capabilities
– Particularly with respect to UI
● Today: ICS● Gracefully degrade for older devices
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Forwards, Not Backwards
● Older Ain't Gettin' Any Bigger● Aim for the increasing market share, not the decreasing
share
● Sneezers' Devices● Bloggers, media, etc.● Tend towards newer devices● If you look stale, may impact their interest in you
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Forwards, Not Backwards
● Distinctive, Not Decomposing● Are there new features that can give you a competitive
edge?– Even if not all the users can take advantage of them
● It's the Way the (Web) World Works● IE6-only versus graceful degradation● Well-trod path, needing Android-specific tactics
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Targets and Strategies
● Old API-Centric● Build target = min SDK version = lowest common
denominator● Target SDK version no higher than min SDK version
● New API-Centric● Build target = oldest version that has everything you are
using directly (or via library)● Min SDK version = oldest you are supporting● Target SDK version = current-ish Android version
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Validating Compatibility
● Compile-Time: Lint● Keep your Android SDK tools/ADT updated!● Will warn you when you try using newer stuff on older minSdkVersion– Requires manual lint run from Eclipse menu
● Use annotations to suppress warnings– @TargetApi(NN)
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Validating Compatibility
● Testing● Directly via emulator● Directly via available hardware● Bulk-testing Services
– TestDroid Cloud– LessPainful– Apkudo– Etc.
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Libraries for Compatibility
● Android Support Package● Fragments
– Large subset, but not everything from native API Level 11+
● Loaders● GridLayout● *Compat Classes
– Access to newer constants– Helper methods to get at newer capabilities while gracefully
degrading to no-ops/defaults
● Separate Implementations
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Libraries for Compatibility
● Action Bar Sherlock● Implementation of ActionBar for Android 2.x● Same API as native API Level 11+
● Nine Old Androids● Implementation of android.animation framework
for Android 1.x/2.x
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Ad-Hoc Backports
● Find AOSP Code, Clone, Fix● New widgets (e.g., Switch)● Other stuff largely separable from firmware● Challenges
– Finding resources– Dealing with package-private methods
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Library/Backport Strategy
● Use as Temporary Scaffolding● Know which API levels a given library or backport is
addressing● May vary by what you are using
● Remove In Time● Once you no longer are supporting the older API levels,
drop the scaffold and re-test
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Java Version Guards
● Android 2.x+● Wrap any references to items from newer API level in a
test of the API level
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT>Build.VERSION_CODES.GINGERBREAD) { // do something}
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Java Version Guards
● Android 2.x+● Wrap any references to items from newer API level in a
test of the API level
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT>=Build.VERSION_CODES.GINGERBREAD) { @TargetApi(11) // do something needing API Level 11+}
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Java Version Guards
● Scenario: AsyncTask● Serialized if targetSdkVersion >= 14● Use executeOnExecutor() to force to classic thread
pool model● Problem: executeOnExecutor() new to API Level 11● Solution: version guard block
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Java Version Guards
● Android 1.x● Problem: Dalvik complains if you load a class that refers
to items from a newer API level● Solution
– Isolate newer-API items in a separate helper class– Only refer to that helper class within a version guard block
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Java Version Guards
● The Old API-Centric Approach● Use version guard to detect newer API level● Use reflection to access items that only exist at that API
level● Benefit: can leave build target on older API level
– Build target only affects what you directly reference
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Versioned Resources
● Use -vNN Resource Set Suffix● Apply to resources valid for API Level NN and higher● Scenario
– res/values/ = good for anything– res/values-v11/ = good for Honeycomb and newer
● Example– Style in -v11 that references Theme.Holo– Style with same name in default directory that does not
reference Theme.Holo
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Versioned Components
● Components Valid for Certain API Levels● Activity only needed on Android 3.1+● Different app widgets for API Level 11, older devices
● Technique● Boolean resource, contained in two resource sets
– Default plus -vNN set
● Use boolean resource in android:enabled attribute in manifest– Disabled components do not show up anywhere
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Scenario: Preferences
● Goals● Want to use PreferenceFragments and headers on API
Level 11 and higher● Want preferences to still work on Android 2.x
● Option #1: Different PreferenceActivity Classes● Use versioned components trick to dictate which one is
available● Use action, not component, in launching Intent● Reuse preference XML as best you can
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
Scenario: Preferences
● Option #2: Version Guards● One PreferenceActivity● onBuildHeaders() only called on API Level 11+● Reuse preference XML as best you can
● Option #3: Backport● Find current implementation (source, resources)● Convert to use Android Support fragments● Most difficulty, but consistent implementation,
look-and-feel
Copyright © 2012 CommonsWare, LLC
QOTD
“You’re a Web developer in Java” is the first thing I tell every person mentioning fragmentation. There are no tablets. There are no phones. There’s no Google TV. There is only an unlimited set of configurations of every conceivable feature. Write your application in a dynamic, progressively enhancing manner that follows well-documented patterns and you will be just fine.
Jake Wharton