Why China Is Racing to Build Its Own Unified OS – Inside UOS Development

In the past two months, news about the domestic unified operating system UOS has become a hot topic in the tech community. After US‑China trade frictions and restrictions on Huawei, concerns have shifted from hardware to software, prompting questions about China's ability to develop its own OS as a strategic response.

Software professionals see the urgent need for a homegrown OS and chip ecosystem, recognizing that operating systems are as critical as processors. Domestic OS vendors have begun to collaborate rather than compete, forming a unified effort.

UOS (Unity Operating System) is the current code name. The preparation group was voluntarily initiated by several core Chinese OS companies, including China Electronics Corporation (CEC), Wuhan DeepTech, Nanjing Chengmai Technology, and ZTE New Support.

In May 2019, the parties signed a cooperation agreement and established the preparation group. By July 2019, a joint technical R&D team was formed, mobilizing hundreds of developers in Wuhan, Nanjing, Beijing and other locations.

UOS adopts an open‑source collaborative development model and supports domestic processors such as Loongson, Shenwei, Phytium, HiSilicon, Zhaoxin, and Haiguang. Its website provides source package downloads and a developer application process, and the code is hosted on a GitLab‑based platform.

Becoming an internal tester is straightforward: register on the official site (using a corporate email is recommended), download the appropriate build for your chip platform, and install it—supporting x86 (Intel/AMD), Loongson (MIPS), and ARM. The installation process is similar to installing Windows.

The user interface resembles Windows, making it easy for partners to adopt. Contrary to claims that it is merely a rebranded system, the UOS team has performed deep development on the kernel, BIOS firmware, compiler, browser, and graphics drivers, earning positive feedback on smoothness and stability.

Since the system has just launched, its app store is currently empty, exposing a fragile ecosystem. However, it can interoperate with the Deepin Linux app store, and ongoing open‑source and porting tools are expected to bring more applications to UOS.

In October, UOS released an alpha version compatible with certain desktop and server platforms.

Recent updates indicate that UOS has completed compatibility and adaptation for Loongson desktop computers and servers, supporting Loongson 3A3000, 3B3000, 3A4000, and 3B4000 series.

Test feedback shows that Loongson 3‑series 64‑bit computers running UOS can handle office work, web browsing, media playback, and 3D applications as well as Windows, meeting performance requirements.

Although building a self‑developed OS is a daunting challenge, giving UOS a chance is essential; with time, it may prove its market viability and reach a broad consumer base.