JD Finance HarmonyOS NEXT Migration: Architecture, Challenges, and Practices

In June 2024 Huawei announced the beta upgrade of HarmonyOS NEXT, and by Q4 the system entered commercial use. JD Finance began cooperating with Huawei in November 2023, launching a trial version in June and a full version (6.9.30) in September.

The migration was driven by the large share of Huawei device users among JD Finance’s active users and the opportunity presented by HarmonyOS NEXT’s pure‑kernel design, which removes Android compatibility layers and reduces code redundancy by 40%.

To manage the massive codebase (200+ native pages, 3400+ high‑traffic H5 pages), the team prioritized core functionalities, selecting 21 major modules covering 90% of the app’s capabilities for the initial release.

The overall architecture was split into a foundational layer (network, routing, data monitoring, web container, Roma cross‑platform framework, etc.) and a business layer (native pages, Roma cross‑platform pages, H5 pages). Reusing the foundational components across platforms minimized duplicated effort.

Three technical方案 were evaluated: (1) pure HarmonyOS native implementation, (2) Roma cross‑platform with native bridge support, and (3) Roma with custom rendering. The final approach combined方案 2 as the primary path with selective research into方案 3 to balance cost, risk, and extensibility.

Key infrastructure components such as routing, network libraries, image loading, and web containers were rebuilt in ArkTS/C++ for cross‑platform reuse, while non‑essential components (e.g., SGM, analytics) were scheduled later.

Challenges included ArkTS’s limited dynamic features, the shift from imperative to declarative UI with ArkUI, immature HarmonyOS APIs, and new system concepts like the intent framework and AI services.

The trial version was released within two months, focusing on H5‑compatible features and native ArkUI pages, achieving the first HarmonyOS native app launch for JD Group.

Subsequent development integrated new HarmonyOS features: Huawei Account one‑click login, intelligent PhotoPicker for document recognition, and the intent framework for voice‑driven interactions.

Performance optimization targeted UI hierarchy depth, actor‑model threading constraints, and slow system APIs, resulting in 88% of scenes meeting the S‑grade benchmark.

Final release preparations included foldable‑screen adaptation, privacy policy updates, and separate software copyright and ICP filings for the HarmonyOS version.

Looking forward, JD Finance plans to complete remaining functionalities, explore deeper HarmonyOS ecosystem capabilities (meta‑services, AI), and continue sharing migration experiences with the developer community.