Android

Android (AOSP) is an operating system for phones and tablets; may also contain the proprietary Google Media Services (GMS). You might want one of my topics:

• apps: My list of non-Google apps
• backup: How to do backups the manual way
• contacts contract: How to write a contacts app
• devel: How to setup the Android SDK and IDE
• navigation: Survey of navigation apps (hint: OsmAnd)
• sync: Survey of contact/calender sync apps (hint: DavX5)

Android Versions

For developers, the relevant SDK vs public Android versions are:

• 8: Froyo (2.2)
• 14: Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0)
• 19: KitKat (4.4)
• 21: Lollipop (5.0)
• 23: Marshmellow (6.0)
• 28: Pie (9)
• 29: 10 (10)
• 30: 11 (11)

In 2023 you would typically target at least 21 because otherwise intent timers and some other useful APIs would be missing.

Android Variants

If you want to get off Google Android, your alternatives are:

• LineageOS (formerly CyanogenMod): Most popular of the AOSP bunch.
• GrapheneOS: Pixel-only, but with partial banking apps.
• PostmarketOS: Not even AOSP but a pure Linux, so no Android apps at all.

And with that, good luck and have fun!