Support Library Packages

Note: With the release of Android 9.0 (API level 28) there is a new version of the support library called AndroidX which is part of Jetpack. The AndroidX library contains the existing support library and also includes the latest Jetpack components.

You can continue to use the support library. Historical artifacts (those versioned 27 and earlier, and packaged as android.support.*) will remain available on Google Maven. However, all new library development will occur in the AndroidX library.

We recommend using the AndroidX libraries in all new projects. You should also consider migrating existing projects to AndroidX as well.

The Android Support Library contains several library packages that can be included in your application. Each of these libraries supports a specific range of Android platform versions and set of features.

In order to use any of the following libraries, you must download the library files to your Android SDK installation. Follow the directions for downloading the Support Libraries in Support Library Setup to complete this step. You must take additional steps to include a specific Support Library in your application. See the end of each library section below for important information on how to include the library in your application.

Note: The minimum SDK version for all support library packages is at least API level 14. Some packages require a higher API level, as noted below.

v4 Support Libraries

These libraries include the largest set of APIs compared to the other libraries, including support for application components, user interface features, accessibility, data handling, network connectivity, and programming utilities.

For complete, detailed information about the classes and methods provided by the v4 support libraries, see the android.support.v4 package in the API reference.

Note: Prior to Support Library revision 24.2.0, there was a single v4 support library. That library was divided into multiple modules to improve efficiency. For backwards compatibility, if you list support-v4 in your Gradle script, your APK will include all of the v4 modules. However, to reduce APK size, we recommend that you just list the specific modules your app needs.

v4 compat library

Provides compatibility wrappers for a number of framework APIs, such as Context.obtainDrawable() and View.performAccessibilityAction().

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-compat:28.0.0

v4 core-utils library

Provides a number of utility classes, such as AsyncTaskLoader and PermissionChecker.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-core-utils:28.0.0

v4 core-ui library

Implements a variety of UI-related components, such as ViewPager, NestedScrollView, and ExploreByTouchHelper.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-core-ui:28.0.0

v4 media-compat library

Backports portions of the media framework, including MediaBrowser and MediaSession.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-media-compat:28.0.0

v4 fragment library

Adds support for encapsulation of user interface and functionality with fragments, enabling applications to provide layouts that adjust between small and large-screen devices. This module has dependencies on compat, core-utils, core-ui, and media-compat.

Note: The v13 support library provides a FragmentCompat class. The v4 Fragment class is a standalone class that provides bugfixes which were added in later platform versions, whereas the v13 FragmentCompat class provides compatibility shims for the framework implementation of the Fragment class.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-fragment:28.0.0

Multidex Support Library

This library provides support for building apps with multiple Dalvik Executable (DEX) files. Apps that reference more than 65536 methods are required to use multidex configurations. For more information about using multidex, see Building Apps with Over 64K Methods.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:multidex:1.0.0

v7 Support Libraries

These libraries provide specific feature sets and can be included in your application independently from each other.

v7 appcompat library Part of Android Jetpack.

Note:The appcompat library has migrated into the AndroidX library, which is an Android Jetpack component. See it in use in the Sunflower demo app.

This library adds support for the Action Bar user interface design pattern. This library includes support for material design user interface implementations.

Note: This library depends on the v4 Support Library.

Here are a few of the key classes included in the v7 appcompat library:

ActionBar - Provides an implementation of the action bar user interface pattern. For more information on using the Action Bar, see the Action Bar developer guide.
AppCompatActivity - Adds an application activity class that can be used as a base class for activities that use the Support Library action bar implementation.
AppCompatDialog - Adds a dialog class that can be used as a base class for AppCompat themed dialogs.
ShareActionProvider - Adds support for a standardized sharing action (such as email or posting to social applications) that can be included in an action bar.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:appcompat-v7:28.0.0

v7 cardview library

This library adds support for the CardView widget, which lets you show information inside cards that have a consistent look on any app. These cards are useful for material design implementations, and are used extensively in layouts for TV apps.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:cardview-v7:28.0.0

v7 gridlayout library

After you download the Android Support Libraries, this library adds support for the GridLayout class, which allows you to arrange user interface elements using a grid of rectangular cells. For detailed information about the v7 gridlayout library APIs, see the android.support.v7.widget package in the API reference.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:gridlayout-v7:28.0.0

v7 mediarouter library

This library provides MediaRouter, MediaRouteProvider, and related media classes that support Google Cast.

In general, the APIs in the v7 mediarouter library provide a means of controlling the routing of media channels and streams from the current device to external screens, speakers, and other destination devices. The library includes APIs for publishing app-specific media route providers, for discovering and selecting destination devices, for checking media status, and more. For detailed information about the v7 mediarouter library APIs, see the android.support.v7.media package in the API reference.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:28.0.0

The v7 mediarouter library APIs introduced in Support Library r18 are subject to change in later revisions of the Support Library. At this time, we recommend using the library only in connection with Google Cast.

v7 palette library

The v7 palette support library includes the Palette class, which lets you extract prominent colors from an image. For example, a music app could use a Palette object to extract the major colors from an album cover, and use those colors to build a color-coordinated song title card.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:palette-v7:28.0.0

v7 recyclerview library

The recyclerview library adds the RecyclerView class. This class provides support for the RecyclerView widget, a view for efficiently displaying large data sets by providing a limited window of data items.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:28.0.0

v7 Preference Support Library

The preference package provides APIs to support adding preference objects, such as CheckBoxPreference and ListPreference, for users to modify UI settings.

The v7 Preference library adds support for interfaces, such as Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener and Preference.OnPreferenceClickListener, and classes, such as CheckBoxPreference and ListPreference.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:preference-v7:28.0.0

v8 Support Library

This library provides specific feature sets and can be included in your application independently from other libraries.

v8 renderscript library

This library adds support for the RenderScript computation framework. These APIs are included in the android.support.v8.renderscript package. You should be aware that the steps for including these APIs in your application is very different from other support library APIs. For more information about using these APIs in your application, see the RenderScript developer guide.

Note: Use of RenderScript with the support library is supported with Android Studio and Gradle-based builds. The renderscript library is located in the build-tools/$VERSION/renderscript/ folder.

The following example shows the Gradle build script properties for this library:

defaultConfig {
    renderscriptTargetApi 18
    renderscriptSupportModeEnabled true
}

v13 Support Library

This library adds support for the Fragment user interface pattern with the (FragmentCompat) class and additional fragment support classes. For more information about fragments, see the Fragments developer guide. For detailed information about the v13 Support Library APIs, see the android.support.v13 package in the API reference.

Note: The v4 fragment library provides a Fragment class. The v4 Fragment class is a standalone class that provides bugfixes which were added in later platform versions, whereas the v13 FragmentCompat class provides compatibility shims for the framework implementation of the Fragment class.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-v13:28.0.0

v14 Preference Support Library

The android.support.v14.preference package provides APIs to add support for preference interfaces such as PreferenceFragment.OnPreferenceStartFragmentCallback and PreferenceFragment.OnPreferenceStartScreenCallback, along with classes, such as MultiSelectListPreference and PreferenceFragment. For detailed information about the v14 Preference Support Library APIs, see the preference package in the API reference.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:preference-v14:28.0.0

v17 Preference Support Library for TV

The android.support.v17.preference package provides APIs for providing preference interfaces on TV devices, including support for the LeanbackListPreferenceDialogFragment.ViewHolder.OnItemClickListener interface and classes, such as BaseLeanbackPreferenceFragment and LeanbackPreferenceFragment. For detailed information about the v17 Preference Support Library APIs, see the preference package in the API reference.

This package requires API level 17 or higher. The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

 com.android.support:preference-leanback-v17:28.0.0

v17 Leanback Library

The android.support.v17.leanback package provides APIs to support building user interfaces on TV devices. It provides a number of important widgets for TV apps. Some of the notable classes include:

BrowseFragment - A fragment for creating a primary layout for browsing categories and rows of media items.
DetailsFragment - A wrapper fragment for Leanback details screens.
PlaybackOverlayFragment - A subclass of DetailsFragment for displaying playback controls and related content.
SearchFragment - A fragment to handle searches. The fragment receives the user's search request and passes it to the application-provided SearchResultProvider. The SearchResultProvider returns the search results to the SearchFragment, which renders them into a RowsFragment.

This package requires API level 17 or higher. The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:leanback-v17:28.0.0

Vector Drawable Library

Provides support for static vector graphics.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-vector-drawable:28.0.0

Animated Vector Drawable Library

Provides support for animated vector graphics.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:animated-vector-drawable:28.0.0

Annotations Support Library

The Annotation package provides APIs to support adding annotation metadata to your apps.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:support-annotations:28.0.0

Design Support Library

The Design package provides APIs to support adding material design components and patterns to your apps.

The Design Support library adds support for various material design components and patterns for app developers to build upon, such as navigation drawers, floating action buttons (FAB), snackbars, and tabs.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:design:28.0.0

Custom Tabs Support Library

The Custom Tabs package provides APIs to support adding and managing custom tabs in your apps.

The Custom Tabs Support library adds support for various classes, such as Custom Tabs Service and Custom Tabs Callback.

This package requires API level 15 or higher. The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:customtabs:28.0.0

Percent Support Library

The Percent package provides APIs to support adding and managing percentage based dimensions in your app.

Note: As of release 26.0.0, the Percent Support library is deprecated. Clients of this module should migrate to the new ConstraintLayout widget, which is provided as a separate artifact in SDK Manager.

The Percent Support library adds support for the PercentLayoutHelper.PercentLayoutParams interface and various classes, such as PercentFrameLayout and PercentRelativeLayout.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:percent:28.0.0

ExifInterface Support Library

Exif tags store information such as the orientation, date and time, camera information, and the location directly in a JPEG or RAW file. The ExifInterface class unbundles support for reading Exif information from JPEG and raw (DNG, CR2, NEF, NRW, ARW, RW2, ORF, PEF, SRW and RAF) formatted files, and setting the Exif information on JPEG image files.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:exifinterface:28.0.0

App Recommendation Support Library for TV

The App Recommendation package provides APIs to support adding content recommendations in your app running on TV devices.

The App library adds support for annotations, such as ContentRecommendation.ContentMaturity and various classes, such as ContentRecommendation and RecommendationExtender.

This package requires API level 21 or higher. The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:recommendation:28.0.0

Wear UI Library

This library has APIs for building user interfaces for Wear apps. The APIs, available in the android.support.wear.widget package, replace the corresponding APIs in the Wearable Support Library.

For more information, see Using the Wear UI Library.

The Gradle build script dependency identifier for this library is as follows:

com.android.support:wear:28.0.0

Features

Setup