Huawei Technologies is set to open-source its self-developed programming language, Cangjie, marking the latest step in the company’s pursuit of technological self-sufficiency.
First unveiled a year ago, Cangjie will be open-sourced and accessible to all developers starting July 30, Huawei announced during its annual developer conference in June.
Open-sourcing allows public access to a software program’s source code, enabling third-party developers to modify or share its design, fix issues, or expand its capabilities.
This initiative reflects Huawei’s ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on foreign software and other technologies amid tighter export restrictions from Washington.
Cangjie, named after a legendary figure in Chinese mythology credited with inventing written Chinese characters, is designed for “full-scenario intelligence”, according to Huawei. It features native artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and robust security, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, according to its official website.
The language primarily supports general programming for apps on HarmonyOS Next, a version of Huawei’s cross-device operating system that is entirely independent of Android.
Huawei said Cangjie also supported apps on Android and Apple’s iOS, which could position Cangjie to compete with popular programming languages such as Java, used by Android developers, and Swift, used by iOS developers.
Huawei first presented a preview version of Cangjie in June last year, following nearly five years of development. The programming language quickly gained traction within the developer community, attracting over 10,000 trial applications within weeks.
By October, Cangjie was made available for all HarmonyOS developers, and it had since been adopted in the development of various HarmonyOS-based apps, including those for Chinese on-demand delivery platform Meituan and e-commerce platform JD.com, Huawei said.
For example, Meituan is using Cangjie to develop an app used by its delivery riders, with plans to launch it on HarmonyOS in the third quarter of this year, according to Chen Mo, who oversees the app’s development at Meituan.
The decision to make Cangjie open-source comes as Huawei accelerates its efforts to build an in-house software ecosystem amid ongoing US sanctions.
During the annual developer conference, the company also introduced HarmonyOS 6, the latest version of its operating system, along with new AI models and its CloudMatrix 384 AI rack architecture.
HarmonyOS 5 had been installed on over 40 device models, with more than 8 million developers registered in its ecosystem and over 30,000 apps and mini-programs available, said Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei’s consumer business group, last month. – South China Morning Post
