Having a brilliant idea for a mobile app for the Android platform is half the battle. To breathe life into your idea and get your app a good spot in the Google Market, you need to enroll highly skilled Android engineers. To help you hire the best Android developers, we’ve prepared the A to Z hiring guide. Read it to find out what the main tasks of Android developers are, what skills they must possess, grasp the difference between outsourcing and outstaffing and their pros and cons, and learn why the human factor is no less important than the hard skills of engineers.
Android Developer Core Tasks and Responsibilities
Let’s find out what exactly Android developers do and what are their main job responsibilities.
Design and build apps
The main duties of Android developers are to design and build apps. They write code, design app architecture, and anticipate potential bugs.
Collaborate with cross-functional team
The ability to establish and maintain effective communication with others is an important quality that all software engineers must possess. Each team member performs a specific task, and good communication between them is key to developing excellent products.
Work with external databases and APIs
Android developers often have to work with external databases and various APIs. So, they must have the skills to deal with the code written by other engineers.
Perform unit testing
Unit testing is an essential part of software development and is performed at the end of each development cycle. Android developers test a part of the functionality to quickly detect and fix any bugs.
Fix bugs
Android developers look for bugs in their code and fix them. They also fix bugs found by quality assurance (QA) engineers.
Keep evolving
Technologies are constantly evolving, so engineers need to learn new skills and knowledge all the time.
Essential Skills for Android Developers
Let’s find out by what skills you can recognize experienced Android developers who do their job efficiently and deliver excellent apps.
Java
Java was invented in 1995 and remains one of the most popular languages used by developers to build Android apps. Developers must therefore have advanced knowledge of this programming language, its syntax and structure, and concepts such as object-oriented basics, variables, lists, and loops. Android developers should also master the JDK documentation so that they can quickly learn how to use the different parts of the language.
Android SDK
The Android SDK (Software Development Kit) has multiple built-in functional tools needed to develop apps for Android, test and debug the source code, and verify the app’s compatibility with different versions of the operating system. Therefore, it is a must for Android developers to have a thorough knowledge of the Android SDK and its contents.
Android Studio
Android Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) that speeds up development and helps create high-quality apps for Android devices. It has a large number of special features like code completion, code debugger, memory and CPU monitors, and more, and provides great out-of-the-box support for many Android SDKs. It’s impossible to create an Android app without Android Studio, so it’s an essential tool in an Android developer’s skill set.
Databases
Your app should integrate with a cloud database to support appropriate data structures that can be used for storing and retrieving data both app data and user data. Cloud platforms can integrate with your app through their APIs. Developers can also use local solutions to manage local databases – SQL, for example. In any case, Android developers need to have in-depth knowledge of cloud platforms and their libraries to ensure seamless data transfer for your app.
APIs
To enrich your app with useful features without investing months in development, it’s advisable to use APIs. Whether your app needs a payment gateway, live chat, data aggregator, or something else, all of these can be implemented using third-party services. Android developers should therefore be able to select and integrate a required API into your mobile solution.
XML
XML is a structured markup language used by Android developers to access and transfer web data between devices. It is also used to create layouts that serve as the basis for the UI of the future app. Android developers should definitely be proficient in XML.
Material Design
Material Design is a set of interface guidelines and standards published by Google. It includes tips on how to layer different elements on the screen and use certain styles. Adhering to Material Design is not a mandatory requirement and developers can decide for themselves whether to use these guidelines or not. In any case, Android developers should have experience with Material Design and be ready to implement it in your app.
Outsourcing vs Outstaffing
Now that you know what Android developers do and what technical skills they must possess, it’s time to learn the difference between outsourcing and outstaffing and choose the best option.
- Outsourcing means delegating the entire project from A to Z to a third party that provides staff, equipment, and experience and delivers the products on a turnkey basis.
- Outstaffing means hiring a dedicated team that would communicate with your in-house team and performs your assigned tasks. The main idea of hiring dedicated Android developers is that you strengthen the team with specialists to get professional support and assistance in certain areas.
Outsourcing advantages:
➕ reduced costs
➕ savings on technology and infrastructure as you do not have to provide the hardware and software the team needs to do their jobs
➕ you do not have to spend time on recruitment to hire Android coders
➕ the project is delivered on a turnkey basis within time and budget
Outsourcing disadvantages:
➖ dependence on third parties
➖ little to no communication with the team
Outstaffing advantages:
➕ flexibility in team size and composition
➕ you can supervise the process
➕ quick response to project changes as you are in touch with your dedicated team constantly
Outstaffing disadvantages:
➖ potential communication issues due to time zone differences, language barriers, and cultural diversity
➖ risk of data loss
While developing the proper infrastructure to recruit talent may seem like a time sink, it’ll ultimately benefit you. After all, you’ll be able to control the whole process and better understand if the developer fits into your company culture. But if you don’t know where to start, know that you can streamline talent acquisition with these software tools.
3 steps to Hire Android App Developers
Whether you choose outsourcing or outstaffing, to make the most of the advantages and avoid the disadvantages, you should choose the right company with Android developers.
1. Read reviews and testimonials from clients.
Pay attention to feedback from current or previous clients of shortlisted companies. This will help you ascertain the reliability of a company and decide on a possible collaboration.
2. Check past experience.
Find out if a company has experience in Android app development. Many software development companies also have a number of open-source projects on GitHub that you can check out to gauge how experienced the company is.
3. Consider the human factor.
Reach out directly to the project manager or Android developers to make sure you’re on the same page and that communication with the team will be smooth and easy.
Wrapping it all up
Now you know what Android developers do and what skills and technologies they must possess to create a great application for you. And keep in mind the human factor when selecting a software development company as it is no less important than technical skills – if you feel uncomfortable communicating with a company representative in the initial stages, it’s unlikely to lead to effective and productive collaboration. You need to feel like you’re on the same page with the team because that’s the only way great products are created.
At Itexus, we not only deliver top-notch mobile products, but we also provide our clients with memorable collaboration experiences so that they keep coming back and recommending us to others. With our talent pool and strong engineering team, we make sure your ideas reach their full potential. Get in touch with us to find out what benefits our Android developers can bring to your project.