Android Runtime Permissions & Scoped Storage Compliance

Prior to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, users were forced to grant all permissions at install time on Google Play. If an app requested 20 permissions, the user had to accept all or decline installation. Today, Android enforces Runtime Permissions — applications must request sensitive permissions at the precise moment the feature is needed.

Figure 21.1: Modern Android Runtime Permissions Flowchart — From Initial State Check to Educational Rationale and ActivityResultContracts.

The 4-Step Runtime Permission Workflow

import android.Manifest
import android.content.pm.PackageManager
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.result.contract.ActivityResultContracts
import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat

class CameraScreenActivity : ComponentActivity() {

    // 1. Register permission contract
    private val requestCameraPermissionLauncher = registerForActivityResult(
        ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission()
    ) { isGranted: Boolean ->
        if (isGranted) {
            openCameraHardware()
        } else {
            showPermissionDeniedSnackbar()
        }
    }

    // 2. Trigger check before using sensitive hardware
    fun onUserTapsCameraButton() {
        when {
            ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(
                this,
                Manifest.permission.CAMERA
            ) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED -> {
                // Permission already granted!
                openCameraHardware()
            }
            shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(Manifest.permission.CAMERA) -> {
                // User denied previously: Show friendly educational dialog explaining WHY
                showEducationalDialog {
                    requestCameraPermissionLauncher.launch(Manifest.permission.CAMERA)
                }
            }
            else -> {
                // First-time request: Launch system prompt directly
                requestCameraPermissionLauncher.launch(Manifest.permission.CAMERA)
            }
        }
    }

    private fun openCameraHardware() { /* Start camera */ }
    private fun showPermissionDeniedSnackbar() { /* Feedback */ }
    private fun showEducationalDialog(onAccept: () -> Unit) { onAccept() }
}