Microsoft finally released the official version of the Xamarin Android package for NuGet. The apps which do not use the Android backward compatible support library space, the developers can use Xamarin. Microsoft also has a solution for those apps that use backward compatibility support.
Android’s backward compatibility with too many versions of the Support Library; hence, after a while, it is bound to fall short of the naming conventions of the function library. According to the naming rules, all the developer projects must be greater than or equal to the minimum SDK version.
However, some confusion has arisen considering the version numbers. Some components and kits may be named v7 but could support a minimum SDK level of 14. To avoid falling into this trap, Android will be backward compatible with the support library and will be available as AndroidX.
In accordance with Google’s change, Microsoft released the AndroidX suite to Xamarin developers in 2019, and now at the starting of 2020, the suite has finally been recognized officially.
Transferring the Android projects to AndroidX would be no small task, and new adjustments need to be made, catering specifically to the needs of AndroidX. Microsoft has announced that it will provide the developers with different relocation practices based on apps in different states.
For the AndroidX, the developers can use the IDE tools to work on the namespaces. The relocation tool is built into the 16.5+ preview version of Visual Studio 2019. The developers need to manually turn it on to find the option to relocate to AndroidX and start on their projects.
For the apps with no relocated items, the previous Android backward compatible support library relocation package must be used to handle the situation.
Microsoft also mentioned that Xamarin. Forms 4.5, AndroidX will replace Android’s backward compatible support library and Xamarin. Essentials will be relocated to AndroidX.
