What Android APIs should be included in an application? Should I include everything?

Question

Android

When compiling an application or game, you are given a choice of the minimum supported API and the target one. Should I include the entire list of APIs here from the smallest to the latest? Or it's enough just to include one minimum and that's all, for example, I will have a minimum for 4.4 KitKat. If everything starts up on the kitkat, will it also work on later Androids, or is it necessary to include all the APIs directly?
I just want to save the size of the final application.

Answer 1

It's not entirely clear what the API list has to do with it.
You just need to specify minSdkVersion. It is accepted that minSdkVersion should be at least 17. The same Android Studio at the stage of project creation shows the number of supported devices as a percentage, or take it from the official website https://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/
Next, you should investigate , which Android features from newer versions you will need (customization of notifications, for example, which are not supported in earlier versions), and also note that some plugin libraries will require certain versions of the Android Sdk.
After weighing all the pros and cons, set your minSdkVersion and then enjoy user reviews in the spirit of "But it doesn't work on my android 4.2", "I have Sony, android 6.0 and the program crashes ..."
Something that starts up on one 4.4 will not always work on another exactly the same android, but from a different manufacturer. Different manufacturers make their own buggy skins...

Answer 2

New APIs may have the features you need.
If these features are not needed, then do not enable them.