How To Hire an Android App Developer?

Global mobile app sales touched $462 billion in 2019 and are expected to reach $936 billion by 2023. Doesn't that sound impressive? However, not every app gains great success. Just one out of every 10,000 mobile apps survives because there are too many apps on the market, apps are pricey, and so on. That’s why hiring Android app developers who are skilled and experienced is critical to your project and your company.

Here's our guide on finding and hiring Android developers for your app development project in 2023.

Essential skills for Android developers

Creating mobile apps requires a specific set of skills and knowledge. To create an app that makes profits by fulfilling specific business objectives, Android app developers must understand the company’s needs, have technological abilities and know-how. Here's a rundown of important talents to look for when hiring Android developers for your app project:

Knowledge of programming languages

The developers should understand these Java and Kotlin programming languages, including syntax and basics, frameworks, multithreading and concurrency, functional programming, and generics. Knowledge of Android Studio

Android Studio is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that supports a wide range of Android SDKs.

Proficiency in APIs

APIs link applications to third-party services and apps. Developers can use Google APIs to locate users, help them in searching for local businesses, or reference a map within your app.

Hands-on experience with databases

Firebase is the preferred method for app developers to store data in the cloud and make it accessible across devices. That’s why developers should be familiar with SQLite databases.

Understanding of business processes and SDLC

Developers must be aware of the reasoning behind your business decisions. It will help them in identifying key features, development process, and delivering a mobile app solution that meets all business needs.

Which tech stack is right for your Android app?

Developing a proper mobile technology stack is a crucial component of the approach. And when it comes to Android app development, there can be a lot of debate about whether technique, technology, or framework is best for your project.

Before deciding which tech stack to utilize for Android app development, you need to know what features are available and what further features will be released in the near future. You must also select whether you require a native or cross-platform software solution. The cost of your Android app is largely determined by the app's complexity, number of features, and design, but it is rarely affected by the programming language you use.

You must first determine what talents and experience your Android developers should possess before beginning your search. To discover the right developers for your project, you'll need to submit a clear job description.

All in all, the tech stack is a collection of specifications, details, and technologies. The appropriate combination of tools and criteria enables the creation of a top-notch Android mobile application. For most business owners, deciding on the right tech stack is a difficulty. So here's a quick rundown of development steps to consider before beginning your app development project:

Consider your requirements and business needs

Consider the type of program (native, cross-platform, or hybrid), data usage, and hardware access. The following factors can help you limit your app's language and framework options. Choose a monetization model and specify the main goal of your app.

For example, if you're selling subscription plans, you'll want to make sure your functionality and design reflect that. On the other hand, if advertising is your primary source of revenue, you should concentrate on the app's performance.

Determine the type of collaboration

There are various options for developing your mobile app. You can hire freelancers, in-house developers, or outsourcing app development.

Think about app security

If your app requires access to personal information, you'll want to make it impenetrable by addressing all security concerns, among other things.

Specify integrations and compatibility

Consider what third-party integration you might require before beginning your app development process. Furthermore, you may need to interface an existing website or backend system with your app, influencing your tech stack selection.

Java for Android app development

Java has been around for a long time. It was first released in May of 1995 and is still used today. The Java Development Kit, Java Runtime Environment, and Integrated Development Environment are included.

Java has surpassed C++ as the most popular programming language for creating enterprise apps. It's commonly used in building online apps, government apps, and big data technologies like Hadoop and Apache Storm.

Kotlin for Android development

The initial version of Kotlin was released in 2011, but it took over five years for it to be officially launched. Kotlin is a clear competitor to Java in terms of Android app development. However, it's also used by JS, Swift, and Python developers. Big firms prefer to hire Kotlin engineers to build Android apps. Uber, Evernote, Pinterest, and other well-known apps were created using Kotlin.

Common hiring mistakes while hiring Android app developers

Here's a list of instances to avoid throughout the hiring process if you want to hire Android developers for the position.

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t have a good sense of product design

Working with Android developers who have experience with product design can save you a lot of time and money during the development process.

For instance, you might want to make a sign-up page for your app. At first appearance, a sign-up screen appears to be nothing more than a user and password selection screen. However, in practice, you'll need:

To figure out which types of authentication you'd like to enable (Facebook, user, password, Gmail, etc.). To guarantee a validation where it is needed (for example, if a user inserts their email, check that it is a valid email)

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t have experience in UI and material design

A user interface is more than just a collection of visuals. Yes, it should appear lovely and professional. It should, nevertheless, be straightforward to comprehend.

You might hire a designer to help you create an Android app, but it won't always be enough to ensure that your app has a high-quality user interface. Because the app is likely to evolve during development, you may need to update the UI due to product modifications or new features.

Using a designer for every minor tweak or adjustment can be costly and slow down progress. Fortunately, Android provides many "out of the box" UI solutions in the form of tutorials and libraries for a variety of circumstances, and Android developers should be familiar with these scenarios and libraries based on previous experience and popular apps.

Using standard UI patterns is beneficial since it will appear similar to many applications that your average user is already familiar with and because implementing the UI should be straightforward and quick, thanks to Google's excellent resources.

Many of the new UI patterns are inspired by Google's Material Design principles, which debuted a few years ago. Mobile devices, especially small ones, are compatible with Material Design. Furthermore, Google gives numerous icons for free, and there are usually enough icons to fulfill most of your demands.

They also offer tutorials and free tools, such as a color palette for materials. The best Android developers complete the majority of the design work themselves, and their apps appear to be professional and easy to use.

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t have experience with app release on Google Play

A good Android app developer has a large number of apps available on Google Play.

There is some vital work to be done when releasing an app, and it's critical that your candidate has done it before.

Proguard is a tool that exemplifies the significance of this stage. This program may obfuscate your code and remove unneeded libraries and classes, resulting in a smaller, more secure application. However, proper use of Proguard necessitates prior experience. It's not an easy operation, and doing it poorly can expose your code and increase the size of your program.

A seasoned developer always knows that it should only be used when publishing an application. Because your program is still not visible to the general public, there's no reason to obscure it while testing it before releasing it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you must sign an application before it can be released. This is to safeguard and prove your ownership of the app. The procedure requires a file containing a hash key. When publishing to Google Play, this file is required.

It is, nevertheless, required for publishing version upgrades. If you lose this file, you won't be able to update your app, so a skilled Android app developer should know to put it somewhere safe. They should adhere to best practices in terms of security and backups.

Finally, while submitting an app to Google Play is a relatively simple procedure, understanding all of the Play Store features will greatly assist you in improving your app and increasing downloads.

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t own at least one app on Google Play

When you're looking for an Android app developer, you'll probably want them to show you some of their previous work so you can get a sense of how experienced they are with the platform. For the same, you should look if they have their own apps in the Play Store.

That's a crucial point to remember since it shows you that the developer knows how to upload an app to Google Play, as we discussed before, and that they're building Android apps because they enjoy it and not just for the money. So working with an Android developer who is passionate about what they do should be a top priority.

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t have full-stack development experience

Most apps these days, especially those that deal with social media, require the use of a database. It's likely that your app will require one as well.

Hiring an Android developer who isn't familiar with databases may necessitate hiring a second developer solely for that purpose. It may be necessary to engage another developer if the work is difficult. But, in most cases, you won't need that in the first versions of your program because your database will be fairly basic.

Android developers should be familiar with databases. A developer can utilize a simple API to manage a database with a variety of services. Firebase is a popular service in this area. Google's Firebase is one of many services that make mobile development much easier.

Don’t hire Android developers who provide poor time estimations

When you begin working during the trial period, your applicant may be asked to do a task, and they may estimate how long it will take. When completing a simple task, the ETA should usually be accurate. And, most likely, throughout the trial, you'll want to give your candidate minor tasks to perform during the trial period.

You should pay attention to whether they performed this assignment within the timeframe they specified, and if they didn't, you should receive sufficient justifications, which shouldn't happen for tiny tasks.

Providing a precise ETA for large activities, on the other hand, can be difficult to forecast because there may be additional product changes, features, and bugs along the route.

Android developers should perhaps complete the task before the ETA expires and notify you if it takes longer for whatever reason—preferably not at the final minute.

Don’t hire Android developers who don’t update you as frequently

Even when allocating minor responsibilities, it's crucial to keep an eye on whether your applicant keeps you up to date on significant developments and does so on a regular basis.

You may choose that your developer keeps you updated on a regular basis or only when something major happens.

Whatever it is, you should pay attention to whether your candidate is providing you with the information you require. Working with a developer who updates you too frequently or seldom might slow down and reduce the efficiency of your collaboration.

Don’t hire Android developers who provide you buggy builds

After you've assigned a task to your candidate and they've completed it and informed you on the build, you should thoroughly test it to search for errors. This is because it should reveal information about the developer's capacity to detect and solve issues, or, in other words, their ability to test their products.

That's a very important thing to check because Android developers must be able to recognize bugs before releasing new versions and know-how to test their products properly. If they don't, they may provide you with a buggy product, and if you don't notice, it may reach end-users, who may complain or leave negative reviews on Google Play Store.

As a result, you should pay special attention to the initial build your candidate sends you, extensively test it, and determine if it is easy to recreate errors.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Android has good testing libraries, both for logic and user interface testing, and it's worth seeing if your applicant has used these before. Although the trial time may be too short to use testing libraries, it is something that every Android developer should be familiar with.

How to find and hire Android developers?

Not everyone possesses the necessary technical expertise to write, compile, and debug Android apps. To do so, you'll most likely need to engage a professional developer. For business owners, finding and recruiting developers may be a genuine issue. Here's a step-by-step guide to find the top Android app developers for your project:

Step 1 to hire Android developers - Prepare a technical description of your project.

In one file, compile all of the tasks and business needs. You may effortlessly share the file with app developers while searching for them.

Step 2 to hire Android developers - Choose the most suitable model

There are a few options for getting your app produced. You can hire an in-house app development team, hire a freelancer or outsource an app development agency. The most expensive approach to get your app produced is to hire in-house app developers. As a result, the majority of business owners opt to outsource. Outsourcing gives you access to a larger pool of developers and allows you to develop your app more quickly while saving money.

Step 3 to hire Android developers - Carry out technical interviews.

You should conduct technical interviews and study portfolios and evaluations to narrow down your developer or outsourced partners. Client testimonials are sometimes the most effective approach to assess a potential outsourcing partner.

Step 4 to hire Android developers - Finalize the agreement and sign the contract.

Discuss all aspects of your app development project, establish timelines, negotiate the time and format of your daily or weekly meetings, and request preliminary project estimates. Remember to sign NDAs and talk about security concerns.

Summing up

Now you know how to find and hire Android developers to create your Android apps. Though there are plenty of app developers out there, hiring a great app developer and retaining them is a challenging task.

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