How we transformed the AirAsia Superapp into AirAsia Move — A Tech Journey\!
Article Summary
Caeser Bakabulindi from AirAsia reveals how a complete app rewrite slashed launch time by 35% and cut memory usage by 120MB. The secret? Jetpack Compose and a bold commitment to building a product, not just features.
AirAsia's mobile team completely rewrote their superapp's front-facing UI during a rebrand to AirAsia MOVE. This wasn't just a cosmetic refresh: they adopted Jetpack Compose, implemented design tokens, and rebuilt the homepage, chat, and wallet from scratch while the app served millions of travelers.
Key Takeaways
- Reduced Time to Fully Display by 35% through Compose optimization
- Cut homepage memory consumption from 550MB to 430MB (120MB savings)
- Slashed homepage code from 2,000 to 800 lines (60% reduction)
- Introduced personalized recommendations and integrated BigPay wallet
- Achieved consistent theming foundation for future dark mode support
AirAsia's app rewrite delivered 35% faster launches, 120MB less memory usage, and 60% cleaner code while adding major features like personalization and wallet integration.
About This Article
The AirAsia MOVE team struggled to adopt Jetpack Compose and Design Tokens. Developers resisted the shift because they were comfortable with hardcoded approaches and skeptical of new practices.
Caeser Bakabulindi organized a tech demo that drew over 90% of the team. The session covered Compose's design, architecture, and best practices to help everyone get up to speed.
The team moved past the adoption hurdles and built a cleaner codebase. They created reusable component libraries that gave the whole platform one consistent source for UI elements.
