Strategies, Performance, and Debugging for Migrating Large-Scale Android Applications to Jetpack Compose

This article proposes a strategic, performance-aware roadmap for migrating large-scale Android applications to Jetpack Compose, Google's modern declarative UI toolkit. The migration process demands more than code translation—it requires teams to rethink UI design, state management, and testing frameworks. It synthesizes industry practices, platform tooling insights, and empirical data to evaluate three primary migration strategies: feature-based, component-based, and bottom-up. A central argument is advanced: component-based migration, when paired with early adoption of Compose-specific performance tools and semantic testing models, provides the most stable and scalable path for enterprise applications. The article details transitions from LiveData to StateFlow, Fragments to Composables, and discusses optimizations for recomposition, memory, and complex animations. Additionally, it presents debugging workflows, benchmarking techniques, and testing frameworks adapted for Compose's architecture. A real-world case study illustrates phased migration in practice. This synthesis offers a practical guide to navigating architectural, organizational, and technical trade-offs, enabling informed Compose adoption at scale.