Retrieving Android API version programmatically

Solution 1:

As described in the Android documentation, the SDK level (integer) the phone is running is available in:

android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT

The class corresponding to this int is in the android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES class.

Code example:

if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP){
    // Do something for lollipop and above versions
} else{
    // do something for phones running an SDK before lollipop
}

Edit: This SDK_INT is available since Donut (android 1.6 / API4) so make sure your application is not retro-compatible with Cupcake (android 1.5 / API3) when you use it or your application will crash (thanks to Programmer Bruce for the precision).

Corresponding android documentation is here and here

Solution 2:

Very easy:

   String manufacturer = Build.MANUFACTURER;
   String model = Build.MODEL;
   int version = Build.VERSION.SDK_INT;
   String versionRelease = Build.VERSION.RELEASE;

Log.e("MyActivity", "manufacturer " + manufacturer
            + " \n model " + model
            + " \n version " + version
            + " \n versionRelease " + versionRelease
    );

Output:

E/MyActivity:   manufacturer ManufacturerX
                model SM-T310 
                version 19 
                versionRelease 4.4.2

Solution 3:

Build.VERSION.RELEASE;

That will give you the actual numbers of your version; aka 2.3.3 or 2.2. The problem with using Build.VERSION.SDK_INT is if you have a rooted phone or custom rom, you could have a non standard OS (aka my android is running 2.3.5) and that will return a null when using Build.VERSION.SDK_INT so Build.VERSION.RELEASE will work no matter using standard Android version or not !

To use it, you could just do this;

String androidOS = Build.VERSION.RELEASE;

Solution 4:

try this:

 if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.GINGERBREAD) {
     // only for gingerbread and newer versions
 }