Android runs on what JAVA SDK version

Question

I always get confused about this, what SDK version of Java does Android run on? For example Android 2.3 and Android 4.0. What JAVA SDK they run (1.4,1.5..etc? Please let me know unless I am missing the concept completely

Answer 1

I always get confused about this, what SDK version of Java does Android run on?

Technically, it runs on no "SDK version of Java". Android devices have the Dalvik VM for executing Dalvik bytecode, not a Java VM for executing Java bytecode.

The Android development tools will cross-compile Java bytecode into Dalvik bytecode when you build your Android app. Those tools support Java bytecode from Java 1.5 or 1.6. It definitely does not support older than 1.5, and I am not certain what all happens if you try Java 7.