Hiring an Android app developer is a piece of cake but hiring a good Android app developer requires some investment of efforts and time, and of course knowledge of what skills are you looking for. Today we cover the domains that a good app developer should be proficient in. In other words, the information in this blog will enable you to check whether the app developer you are considering to hire is a professional or not.
Listed below are 5 areas that a
app developers for hire should be fluent with.
Java is all around us. The important aspect here is to consider how adept your app developer is at writing a new code and using a generic syntax. A good app developer also needs to be proficient with JavaScript which will be inevitably used to make your app interactive. You should ask your app developer about his or her expertise in Java and JavaScript which I am sure you know are two different things.
If you are not a Java fan, which is highly unlikely, you can also look for app developers who are fluent in Java alternatives like C++, Kotlin, etc. The programming language should not be given much preference if you want your Android app to be developed using an existing open source platform, which pretty much takes care of the back-end coding.
While development of an Android app requires Java or some other programming language, managing a database requires a language too. The preferred choice here is structured query language (SQL). Although some other alternatives like Hibernate Query Language are available but SQL has become pretty much a standard. A professional app developer should be skilled at writing SQL (frontends).
Other than the know-how of SQL, an efficient app developer should be able to use database management systems like MySQL, Oracle, etc. These database management systems are adopted by major giants like Google, Facebook, etc. because of the volume of data that needs to be managed. Incorporating these systems can prove to be cost effective. However, app developers need to use the right mechanisms.
- Software Development Tools
A good app developer should also be familiar with various resources available to make Android app development easy. This includes knowledge about integrated development environment (IDE). And in terms of app development, this is where Android Software Development Kit (SDK) comes into the picture. An SDK has multiple tools that can be used effectively and creatively to achieve desired results within a short span of time.
This parameter would not be complete without mentioned Android Studio—The Official IDE for Android. An Android app developer needs to be well-versed with the offerings of this IDE so that he or she can make use of the excellent features to save time and money. This is a freeware; but, experienced developers can produce results that professional-level paid Software cannot.
One very important aspect of app development is exchanging data with the servers. A seasoned Android app developer would choose the best format to suit your requirement. There are many popular formats/languages available like JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), extensible markup language (XML), etc. Each of these has their pros and cons and an able app developer should be able to select the one that is most appropriate.
As an employer, you do not have to worry about the selection criteria in terms of which format is most suited. But, you should probably just be aware that sometimes an app developer prefers JSON only because it is easy to parse whereas XML might offer more flexibility but is difficult to parse.
The market is flooded with Software that can be used to create apps and you certainly need a professional to fish out the Software that would best suit your interest. So, if you are searching for e-commerce app developers for hire, they might suggest using Magento, Shopify, etc. to develop your app.
There are multiple other non-specific technologies that can be used like Xamarin, Appcelerator, etc. A professional app developer should be able to certainly decide which is best suited. If you are opting for a Software like Xamarin then be mindful of the fact that these have community and enterprise versions. The community version is free and the enterprise version comes at a price.
VerdictA great tip that might come in handy while selecting the right professional is to first list down your requirements and then analyze what each selected Android app developer can offer. A good app developer should have a sound knowledge of all the parameters listed above. So, whether it is app developers for hire on permanent payroll or as freelancers, these parameters should serve as your quick checklist to ensure that you are on the right track.
Ritesh
