How were permissions handled in Android before version 6.0?

Before Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), permissions were requested and granted at the time of app installation. The user saw a list of all permissions the app was requesting and had to agree to all of them to install the app. After installation, the user could not selectively allow or deny individual permissions — they were granted to the app entirely.

This meant that if an app requested, for example, access to contacts and the camera, the user either agreed to both or did not install the app at all. This approach reduced flexibility and security, as apps could access device data and functions without additional control during operation.

Starting with Android 6.0, a runtime permissions model was introduced, where permissions are requested dynamically during app operation, and the user can choose which permissions to grant.