PureHarmony white label SaaS app development flow on source code hostings for enterprise clients

This article outlines PureHarmony's workflow of white-label SaaS app development strategy designed to leverage global open-source collab and deliver both a dual hybrid channel development approach.

Apr 04, 2025

This article outlines the PureHarmony workflow—a white-label SaaS development strategy designed to leverage global open-source collaboration and deliver both a dual hybrid channel app development distribution approach of the open-source Oniro platform for the Oniro App Store and proprietary HarmonyOS NEXT apps for Huawei’s AppGallery. By combining GitHub (U.S.) early prototype stage, Codeberg (Germany) maintenance and extended development, hosting apps for open source platforms, and Bitbucket (Australia) for commercial platform expansion, developers can balance agility, compliance, and commercial viability.

1. Development Flow Overview

A three-stage pipeline to insulate Oniro development, ensuring scalability:

Stage Platform Purpose

Early Development Stage 1 Foundation

GitHub (U.S.): Rapid prototyping, open-source collaboration from global developers as foundation of original codes

Maintenance & Expansion Stage 2+ Apex

Codeberg (Germany) sanctions-resilient updates, EU compliance with open source OpenHarmony-Oniro original code development

Commercialization Stage 3 Apex

Bitbucket (Australia) Proprietary IP original code, enterprise branding on Huawei HarmonyOS development ecosystem and Open Source Oniro-OpenHarmony Oniro App Store ecosystem in parallel, end game.

2. Stage 1: GitHub (U.S.) – Early Development

Focus: Ideation, open-source collaboration, and MVP builds.
Tools & Practices:

DevEco Studio: IDE for Oniro-native app development.
GitHub Actions: CI/CD pipelines for testing and dependency management.
ArkTS: Huawei’s TypeScript-like language for cross-platform compatibility.
OpenHarmony SDK: Leverage open-source tools and APIs.

Why GitHub?

Largest developer community for rapid feedback.
Seamless integration with DevEco Studio and ArkUI.

Sanctions Mitigation:

Avoid Huawei-specific tooling until Codeberg transition.
Use GitHub only for non-proprietary code.

3. Stage 2: Codeberg (Germany) – Maintenance & Expansion

Focus: Sanctions-proofing, EU compliance, and feature expansion.
Tools & Practices:

Gitea Migration: Codeberg’s Gitea-based platform ensures GDPR compliance and EU data sovereignty.
Drone CI: Replace GitHub Actions with this open-source, self-hosted CI/CD tool.
Eclipse Theia: Open-source IDE for EU-aligned development.
OpenChain Compliance: Audit code for restrictive-origin dependencies.

Why Codeberg?

Non-profit, EU-based governance avoids restrictive party jurisdiction.
Aligns with OpenHarmony-Oniro’s Eclipse Foundation roots.

Key Tasks:

Strip restrictive party-controlled vunlerable tools (e.g., GitHub Actions, AWS).
Implement Eclipse Xpanse with plugins supported global cloud parties like Huawei Cloud and other 3rd parties for storage and compute.

4. Stage 3: Bitbucket (Australia) – Commercialization

Focus: Hybrid/Dual model of pre-final stage Open Source front end code with mixed full end stack and final stage full stack with backend Proprietary code on both having enterprise branding, and AppGallery + Oniro App Store deployment.
Tools & Practices:

Bitbucket Pipelines: Atlassian’s CI/CD for closed-source workflows.
Jira Integration: Align development with Huawei’s AppGallery requirements.
White-Labeling: Rebrand apps for enterprise clients (e.g., "BankX for HarmonyOS").
Use IPFS/Filecoin for immutable, decentralized code storage to prevent takedowns.
Patent Non-Aggression:
- Join the Open Invention Network (OIN) to create mutual defense against patent litigation.
Strong Copyleft and mixed model partial and weak Copyleft on Oniro App Store and Proprietary License for AppGallery:
- Strong copyleft - License core components on front end under GPLv3 or AGPL to deter monopolistic firms from forking/weaponizing Oniro ecosystem code. Coexisting with partial copyleft option.
- Forking Protections:
  - Strong copyleft - License critical components of back end under Prosperity Public License to prevent monopolistic firms from privatizing Oniro ecosystem code.
  - Partial copyleft allows enterprise developer author on parts to share freely and keep proprietary under GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) and Design Science License (DSL) used for documentation on Oniro-HarmonyOS ecosystems.
  - Weak copyleft flexibility and compatibility for derivative work on software libraries and components via the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) and the Mozilla Public License (MPL) used for software libraries and components on Oniro-HarmonyOS ecosystems.
  - Closed Repo:
    - Proprietary License for HarmonyOS AppGallery ecosystem exclusive license code on Software License Agreement - Huawei (EN).

Blockchain-Verified Builds:
- Sign releases with blockchain hashes (e.g., Hedera Hashgraph) to prove code integrity and resist tampering.
DevEco Studio: Duplicate project under unified folder - Signing applications for both HarmonyOS private repo final development and OpenHarmony open source core only earlier development project repo shared family of platforms adhering to common shared APIs alongside HarmonyOS compatible APIs targets implemented of enterprise branded applications with application/game parity functionalities.
Huawei AppGallery Connect: HarmonyOS (NEXT 5.0+/4.x dual frame earlier) SDK integration for publishing and analytics for signed APP with runtimeOS of HarmonyOS to run for global developers (outside US domestic market).
f-oh-data: Use Docker for server F-OH Server (to be developed) or website front end (F-OH Web) for publishing and analytics from unsigned/signed OpenHarmony HAP with runtimeOS switch of OpenHarmony to run for global developers (including US domestic market).

Why Bitbucket?

Atlassian’s Australian base.
Enterprise-grade security for proprietary code.

Compliance Checks:

Ensure original code/IP in final builds.
Use Huawei’s OSS Audit Tool (OAT) for license scanning.

5. Tools & Compliance Framework

Compliance Checklist:

✅ All code migrated to EU-based Codeberg from GitHub scrubbed of U.S. dependencies.
✅ Proprietary modules hosted only on Bitbucket/Eclipse Xpanse Cloud.
✅ Final APK (Case by case for HMS EMUI-HarmonyOS 4.x)/HAP HarmonyOS NEXT/5.0+ signed with Huawei’s AppGallery certificates.

6. Case Study: EuroSmart IoT Suite

A European IoT startup used PureHarmony to launch a smart home app on HarmonyOS NEXT:

GitHub: Built MVP with open-source sensor drivers.
Codeberg: Added GDPR-compliant data analytics and EU localization.
Bitbucket: Developed proprietary AI algorithms and partnered with Huawei for AppGallery promotion.
Result: 500K+ downloads globally, even in China, with zero vulnerability to restrictions.

7. Strategic Benefits

Geopolitical Resilience: PureHarmony decoupling from restrictive tech stacks while retaining global collaboration long-term.
Compliance: Aligning with EU (GDPR), Australian (Privacy Act), and Chinese (CSL) regulations.
Market Access: Tap into Huawei’s 1 billion+ AppGallery users without GMS dependencies.

8. Challenges & Solutions

Repo Migration: Use git clone --mirror and Gitea’s migration tools.
CI/CD Fragmentation: Standardize on open-source Eclipse Xpanse recommendations with optional Huawei Cloud’s DevOps or Openstack powered cloud, FlexibleEngine, Regio Cloud, Plus Server for all stages.
Contributor Training: Educate teams on clean-room practices for Codeberg/Bitbucket.

Core Strategy for Mainstream Apps

App Type

Oniro App Store (Oniro/OpenHarmony)

AppGallery (HarmonyOS Next SDK Kit)

Banking (Barclays)

Open-source UI, basic transaction APIs (Codeberg).Proprietary fraud detection, biometric auth (BitBucket + HMS). Both work across the open-source Oniro and commercial HarmonyOS NEXT both based on OpenHarmony ecosystem with a unified app development codebase.

Social (Instagram)

Open-core photo filters, feed rendering (Codeberg). AI-driven recommendations, Stories analytics (BitBucket + HMS). Both work across the open-source Oniro and commercial HarmonyOS NEXT both based on OpenHarmony ecosystem with a unified app development codebase.

Streaming (Netflix)

Open-source video player (e.g., ExoPlayer) + Open Mobile Hub DRM, AudioVivid, HDRVivid standards (Codeberg). Proprietary CDN, 4K/HDR optimizations, Huawei DRM (BitBucket + HarmonyOS native kits). Both work across the open-source Oniro and commercial HarmonyOS NEXT/5+ both based on OpenHarmony ecosystem with a unified app development codebase.

Gaming (Angry Birds)

Open-source game logic (underlining open-source UI frameworks like ZFramework) on Codeberg. Proprietary physics engine, IAP, Huawei AR/VR SDK (BitBucket + HMS). Both work across the open-source Oniro and commercial HarmonyOS NEXT both based on OpenHarmony ecosystem with a unified game development codebase.

2. Technical Implementation

a. Cross-Platform Compatibility

OpenHarmony Runtime:
- Use ArkUI for native OpenHarmony UIs and Ark Runtime for Android app compatibility (AAB→HAP conversion).
- Example: TikTok’s Android app runs on Oniro via Ark Runtime, stripped of Google dependencies.
HarmonyOS SDK:
- Optimize for Huawei’s hardware (e.g., GPU Turbo, Kirin chips) in AppGallery builds.

b. Feature Parity via Modular Code

Shared Open-Source Core:
- Host UI frameworks, network layers, and basic APIs on Codeberg (Apache 2.0).
- Example: Spotify’s playlist management and audio playback logic.
Proprietary Extensions:
- Keep AI/ML models, payment gateways, and analytics on BitBucket.
- Example: Netflix’s recommendation engine or TikTok’s For You Page algorithm.

c. Build Automation

CI/CD Pipelines:
- Oniro Build: Compile open-core modules with OpenHarmony’s DevEco Studio.
- AppGallery Build: Merge open-core with proprietary modules + HMS integrations.

# Example GitLab CI for dual builds

build_oniro:

script:

- devEco build --target openharmony --no-hms-libraries

build_appgallery:

script:

- devEco build --target harmonyos --hms-libraries

3. Monetization & Compliance

Aspect

Oniro App Store

AppGalleryAds

Open-source ad SDKs (e.g., AdMob alternatives).

Huawei Ads Kit + proprietary ad targeting.

In-App Purchases

Community-driven payment plugins (e.g., Stripe).Huawei IAP (seamless integration with HMS).

DRM

Open-source Open Mobile Hub DRM alternative.

Huawei DRM (hardware-backed security) for HarmonyOS (NEXT/5.0+) devices.

Regulatory Compliance

GDPR-compliant via Codeberg (EU hosting). Aligns with China’s Cybersecurity Law (CSL) and Australian Privacy Act via BitBucket (Australian hosting).

4. Case Study: Assassin’s Creed Jade

Oniro Version:
- Open-source game logic (UI) on Codeberg.
- Uses OpenHarmony’s 3D rendering engine (compatible with Vulkan) optimised for original game engine.
AppGallery Version:
- Adds Huawei’s Pangu LLM MindSpore, HiAI integrating Celia for enhanced NPC interactions.
- Integrates Huawei’s Game Service for achievements/leaderboards on HarmonyOS NEXT SDK.

5. Challenges & Solutions

Google Play Services Dependency on Android and Apple Darwin, Microsoft Windows dependency development

Replace with OpenHarmony compatible open source frameworks/tools/layers + Open Mobile Hub and Huawei’s HarmonyOS NEXT SDK Kits in parallel.

Performance Gaps

Use HarmonyOS SDK’s hardware optimizations (e.g., GPU Turbo) for AppGallery to take advantage of vertical integration level Kirin.

Fragmented Codebase

Modular architecture + shared CI/CD pipelines for open/closed components.

Developer Adoption

Provide templates for commercial Unity/Unreal Engine plugins targeting OpenHarmony base across OpenHarmony, including Oniro and Huawei HarmonyOS NEXT/5+ systems.

6. Tools & Resources

OpenHarmony ArkUI: Developer Documentation
Huawei HMS Core: Integration Guide
Codeberg: Host Open-Source Modules
BitBucket: Enterprise-Grade Repos

By decoupling, deploying, app file packaging open-source frontends (Oniro) from proprietary backends (AppGallery), companies like Netflix, TikTok, and Ubisoft can:

Reach Global Audiences: Serve open-source builds on Oniro taking advantage of open source underlining UI frameworks within apps/games as well as Open Mobile Hub framework building HAP package and native HarmonyOS Kit versions on AppGallery from runtimeOS switches building APP package.
Protect Core IP: Keep AI, DRM, and monetization logic closed-source on HarmonyOS and webview/3rd party monetization logic on open source Oniro/OpenHarmony.
Avoiding Complications: Use Codeberg/EU tooling for Oniro and Huawei’s ecosystem with Australian BitBucket

This hybrid model transforms constraints into a strategic advantage, enabling mainstream apps to thrive in both open and closed ecosystems.

Conclusion

The PureHarmony workflow empowers developers to innovate for independent OpenHarmony, Oniro and HarmonyOS NEXT compatible platforms while navigating today’s fragmented tech landscape. By strategically leveraging GitHub, Codeberg, and Bitbucket, teams can deliver official licensed commercial apps for Huawei’s ecosystem without compromising on compliance or agility.

The hybrid model allows companies to deploy mainstream apps on both Oniro App Store (OpenHarmony-based) and Huawei AppGallery (HarmonyOS SDK) without sacrificing functionality.

Call to Action:

Join the global Oniro Developer Community.
Join the global HarmonyOS Developer Community.
Explore Codeberg’s OpenHarmony-Oniro PureHarmony repos.
Start white-labeling with GitHub prototyping, Codeberg and Bitbucket combo development.

Build globally, comply locally, and thrive with the PureHarmony developer guide utility.