Confused about Android API's and compatability
<p>I have purchased an HTC Incredible and have dived into the world of android! Only to find myself totally confused about the API levels and backward compatibility.</p>

<p>My device runs the 2.1 OS, but I know that most of the devices out there run 1.5 or 1.6; and soon the 2.2 OS will be running on new devices. The SDK has gone through such enormous changes, that even constants have been renamed (from VIEW_ACTION to ACTION_VIEW for example). Methods have been added and removed (onPause replacing the earlier call, etc al).</p>

<p>So, If I want to write an application that will work from 1.6+, does that mean I have to install and write my code using the 1.6 API; then test on later versions? Or can I write using the 2.1 SDK and just set the minSDK level and not use "new" features?</p>

<p>I have never worked with an SDK that changes SO drastically from release to release! So I am not sure what to do....</p>

<p>I read through an article on the Android Development site(and this posting on stack overflow that references it: <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2076150/should-a-legacy-android-application-be-rebuilt-using-sdk-2-1">http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2076150/should-a-legacy-android-application-be-rebuilt-using-sdk-2-1</a>), but it was still not very clear to me.
Any help would be appreciated</p>
