A developer guide to HarmonyOS

The development stack

ArkTS and ArkUI

ArkTS extends TypeScript with stricter typing (no any and no types that change at runtime) so the Ark compiler can produce efficient code. If you know TypeScript or JavaScript, the learning curve is gentle.

ArkUI describes the interface declaratively, like SwiftUI or Jetpack Compose: you define components and their state, and the system redraws whatever changes. This is what a simple component looks like:

@Entry
@Component
struct Greeting {
  @State taps: number = 0

  build() {
    Column({ space: 12 }) {
      Text(`You tapped ${this.taps} times`).fontSize(20)
      Button('Tap').onClick(() => { this.taps++ })
    }
    .padding(24)
  }
}

Cangjie, Huawei's own language

Cangjie was introduced on 21 June 2024 for building HarmonyOS NEXT apps and was open-sourced on 30 July 2025. It is a compiled, statically typed language with automatic memory management, designed for apps that need performance. It interoperates with ArkTS, so it can be adopted gradually without rewriting an existing app.

Your first app, step by step

1. Create your accountSign up on Huawei's HarmonyOS Developer portal and verify your identity so you can publish.
2. Install DevEco StudioAvailable for Windows and macOS. It includes the SDK, the emulator and project templates.
3. Start from a templatePick "Empty Ability" with ArkTS. Test on the emulator or on a real device with developer mode enabled.
4. Adapt to several screensUse ArkUI's adaptive layouts so the same app works on phone, foldable, tablet and PC.
5. Publish on AppGallerySign the package, upload it to AppGallery Connect and pass Huawei's review.

Porting an Android or iOS app

There is no complete automatic conversion: the interface has to be rewritten in ArkUI, and calls to Google services must be replaced with Huawei's equivalents (HMS Core: accounts, push notifications, maps, payments). What you can reuse is logic written in C/C++ and, partly, code from cross-platform frameworks that already support HarmonyOS.

OpenHarmony: building without Huawei

OpenHarmony, the open-source base managed by the OpenAtom Foundation, uses the same ArkTS and ArkUI. It is the option for hardware makers and for industrial or educational projects that do not need Huawei's services or store.

Official resources

• HarmonyOS Developer: documentation, DevEco Studio and codelabs.
• Cangjie Programming Language: language documentation.
• OpenHarmony: the open-source project.
• This site's developer news, updated daily.