Android API Levels

There are various API levels in Android OS, and still, new APIs are developed as the development is going on with new features and functions in Android devices. Every new Android version introduces a new change that leads to more secure and high-performance improvements. Introducing a new API level also enhances the user experience of Android overall.

Here, we have listed the various Android APIs with their versions briefly. If you want a detailed illustration of Android APIs and their development features, visit the official Android website. But we are sure you will find here what you are looking for.

What is Android API?

Application program interface (API) is a code for a programmer that they use in their applications. This code or (API) allows you to add specific functionalities to your application. In other words, we can say that APIs are the set of protocols and tools used for building software applications. Here is the list of various Android APIs level:

Android Version	API Level / SDK	Version Name	Version Code	Year
Android 13 (Beta)	Level 33	Tiramisu	TIRAMISU
Android 12	Level 32 (Android 12L)	Snow Cone	S_V2
Android 12	Level 31 (Android 12)	Snow Cone	S	2021
Android 11	Level 30 (Android 11)	Red Velvet Cake	R	2020
Android 10	Level 29 (Android 10)	Quince Tart	Q	2019
Android 9	Level 28 (Android 9)	Pie	P	2018
Android 8	Level 27 (Android 8.1)	Oreo	O_MR1	2017
Android 8	Level 26 (Android 8.0)	Oreo	O	2017
Android 7	Level 25 (Android 7.1)	Nougat	N_MR1	2016
Android 7	Level 24 (Android 7.0)	Nougat	N	2016
Android 6	Level 23 (Android 6)	Marshmallow	M	2015
Android 5	Level 22 (Android 5.1)	Lollipop	LOLLIPOP_MR1	2015
Android 5	Level 21 (Android 5.0)	Lollipop	LOLLIPOP, L	2014
Android 4	Level 20 (Android 4.4w)	KitKat	KITKAT_WATCH	2014
	Level 19 (Android 4.4)	KitKat	KITKAT	2013
	Level 18 (Android 4.3)	Jelly Bean	JELLYBEAN_MR2	2013
	Level 17 (Android 4.2)		JELLYBEAN_MR1	2012
	Level 16 (Android 4.1)		JELLYBEAN	2012
	Level 15 (Android 4.0.3 - 4.0.4)	Ice Cream Sandwich	ICE_CREAM_SANDWICH_MR1	2011
	Level 14 (Android 4.0.1 - 4.0.2)	Ice Cream Sandwich	ICE_CREAM_SANDWICH
Android 3	Level 13 (Android 3.2)	Honeycomb	HONEYCOMB_MR2
	Level 12 (Android 3.1)		HONEYCOMB_MR1
	Level 11 (Android 3.0)		HONEYCOMB
Android 2	Level 10 (Android 2.3.3 - 2.3.7)	Gingerbread	GINGERBREAD_MR1
	Level 9 (Android 2.3.0 - 2.3.2)	Gingerbread	GINGERBREAD	2010
	Level 8 (Android 2.2)	Froyo	FROYO
	Level 7 (Android 2.1)	Eclair	ECLAIR_MR1
	Level 6 (Android 2.0.1)		ECLAIR_0_1	2009
	Level 5 (Android 2.0)		ECLAIR
Android 1	Level 4 (Android 1.6)	Donut	DONUT
	Level 3 (Android 1.5)	Cupcake	CUPCAKE
	Level 2 (Android 1.1)	Petit Four	BASE_1_1
	Level 1 (Android 1.0)	None	BASE	2008

The codenames from Android 10 and above are the internal codenames and starting with Android 10, Google removed the usage of codenames publicly.

From the developer's perspective:

From the developer's perspective, an Android API (or API Levels) is an integer value that uniquely recognizes the framework of API revision.

The android platform offers an API that Android applications use to communicate with the underlying Android system. Android framework API consists of the followings points:

It is a core set of packages and classes.
A collection of XML elements and attributes is declared in a manifest file. It is also used for accessing resources.
It also contains the set of permissions the application can request to use device resources and enforcements included in the system.

Definitions

APIs values or levels are used inside the Gradle files with various variables:

Kotlin variable	Groovy variable	Definition
minSdk	minSdkVersion	It is the minimum SDK version that the app support. It is defined in *build.gradle* file. For example, if you set the minSdk to 30, an SDK version corresponds to API Level 30 and Android 11. It makes your app run only on devices with Android 8 or higher versions.
targetSdk	targetSdkVersion	It is the SDK version that the app targets. It is defined in *build.gradle* file. It must always be the same as the *compileSdk*.
compileSdk	compileSdkVersion	It is the SDK version that the app compiles against. Its value is also defined in the *build.gradle* file. Android Studio software uses this SDK version to build your APKs, which must always be the same as the *targetSdk*.

How to add API (or API levels) in your application:

Suppose you want to add a new API level to your Android application (using Android Studio Software). In that case, you must navigate to Appearance & Behaviour > System Settings > and Android SDK. Once you are at the Android SDK screen, checkmark the box next to the API levels and their features. After that, click on the "OK" button to apply and make the changes you have done. It will download and install the selected API on the Android Studio Platform, which you can use in your application.