Optimización y Compatibilidad

Optimization and compatibility are fundamental aspects to consider before launching an Android application on the market. Properly preparing your app not only improves the user experience, but also increases the chances of success on Google Play. Find out how to implement effective strategies to optimize the size of your app and ensure compatibility with different Android versions.

What is the difference between APK and Android App Bundle?

Before we dive into optimization techniques, it's important to understand the difference between the two main Android app distribution formats:

• APK (Android Package Kit): contains all the resources needed to run the application on any device. It is an all-in-one format.

• AAB (Android App Bundle): It is a file that is delivered to Google Play, allowing the store to generate different APKs optimized according to the specific characteristics of each device.

The AAB format represents a significant advantage as it allows to reduce the download size for end users, as they only receive the resources needed for their specific device.

How to analyze and optimize the size of your application?

When generating a bundle build, Android Studio provides us with tools to analyze the weight of each component of our application:

// Add these lines in the build.gradle at the application levelrelease { minifyEnabled true shrinkResources true}

These settings allow us to:

1. Minify code: Reduce the size by removing spaces and renaming variables.
2. Shrink resources: Eliminate unused resources.
3. Make decompilation more difficult: Add an additional layer of security.

By analyzing the result, we can identify which resources occupy more space. In the case mentioned, the images represented only 1% of the total size, which indicates a good optimization.

What are the size limits recommended by Google?

Google sets clear guidelines on the size of applications:

• Standard APK: Recommended maximum size of 100 MB.
• Alert limit: Above 200 MB, the device will display a warning to the user indicating that the app is excessively heavy.
• Additional resources: If resources exceed 100 MB, it is recommended to separate them and allow them to be downloaded individually as needed.

Keeping your application within these limits significantly improves the download and installation experience for your users.

How to ensure compatibility with older Android versions?

Compatibility between different Android versions is crucial to reach a wider audience. A clear example is permissions management:

• Before SDK 23 (Android 6.0): Permissions were requested during installation.
• From SDK 23 onwards: Permissions are requested at runtime.

To handle this difference, we must implement a dual strategy:

1. Declare the permission in the AndroidManifest.xml (works for all versions):

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

2. Implement the request at runtime for devices with SDK 23 or higher:

// Create a launcher to request permissionsval requestPermissionLauncher = registerForActivityResult( ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission()) { isGranted -> if (isGranted) { // Permission granted, proceed with functionality } else { // Permission denied, show message or alternative }} }
// Verify and request permission when necessaryif (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) { requestPermissionLauncher.launch(Manifest.permission.CAMERA)}

This implementation ensures that your app works correctly on a wide range of devices, regardless of their Android version.

Optimization and compatibility are fundamental pillars of your Android application's success. Implementing these strategies not only improves performance, but also expands your potential user base. Have you faced specific challenges when optimizing your apps? Share your experience and continue to improve your development skills.