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Flutter is now a well-known and respected software development tool. Moreover, according to a Statista report, Flutter is the most popular cross-platform mobile framework used by developers worldwide.
Flutter developers are in high demand as more and more companies race to undertake Flutter app development.
In this article
- Why use Flutter?
- Primary Flutter developer skills
- Other Flutter developer skills
- How to find the best Flutter experts?
- Interview tips to hire Flutter developers
- Flutter developer interview questions (coding)
Why do so many companies choose Flutter? Well, its simple.
Since Google launched this open-source framework back in 2018, Flutter has come on in leaps and bounds.
At first, the end software applications that it could create were lacking in both performance and reliability, however, thanks an ever growing community helping to develop it, Flutter looks to have finally solved one of the main headaches of software developers — effective mobile app cross-platform development.
Why use Flutter?
Using Flutter, you now only need to create a single codebase to build a hybird app that works on multiple operating systems such as Android, iOS, etc. Companies looking to develop traditional native apps, on the other hand, must develop an individual codebase for each operating system that they plan to run them on.
Flutter offers a near-native user experience thanks to range of powerful features that include its Flutter UI components library and widgets. Flutter apps consume less memory and storage capacity, therefore, they are lightweight. This framework, therefore, offers excellent performance, something that old hybrid apps simply could not.
Added to this, Flutter offers automation capabilities that help with mobile app development and release processes. This framework offers comprehensive testing support, which expedites app development projects.
Flutter is easy to learn. Flutter developers can access extensive documentation. Thanks to it being supported by Google, we can expect significant ongoing enhancements to Flutter too.
Many organizations find Flutter mobile development an attractive option due to the above-mentioned advantages. This means that Flutter app developers are in demand, therefore, you might find it hard to hire Flutter developers with the right skills for your project.
The good news is that hiring Flutter developers can be relatively straightforward if you take the right approach.
You might think of hiring Flutter programmers from a freelance platform. However, hiring Flutter experts from a trusted Flutter app development company like DevTeam.Space is a far more reliable choice. We will get to why later on.
In order for you to hire Flutter developers, you need to understand the specific skill requirements that you need. This will ultimately be down to your unique project requirements.
To give you some idea of what you will need, we have put together a list of the general skills that any good Flutter developer will need below.
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Primary Flutter developer skills
Flutter consultants and developers need the following primary skills:
- In-depth knowledge of the Flutter framework, e.g., targeting multiple platforms with a single codebase, understanding the Flutter widget ecosystem, managing asynchronous operations, handling user input, controlling application’s states, etc.;
- Expert knowledge of how this open-source UI SDK works;
- Sound knowledge of Flutter widgets including custom widgets;
- Understanding of how different iOS and Android versions work;
- General familiarity with a cross-platform framework;
- Knowledge of Dart, the underlying programming language of Flutter, including Dart syntax, datatypes, functions, etc.;
- Expertise in Flutter development tools, such as Flutter SDK, Flutter command-line tools, Flutter Dev tools, etc.;
- Understanding of different Flutter state management approaches, like setState, Riverpod, Redux, GetX, MobX, etc.,
- Knowledge of various Flutter packages available on pub.dev, and expertise in integrating these packages to Flutter projects for different functionality like HTTP requests, database handling, third-party integrations, etc.
- Good understanding of programming languages like Java and Swift;
- Sound knowledge of IDEs (integrated development environments) like Android Studio and Xcode;
- Backend development experience;
- Understanding how different databases compare against each other, e.g., MySQL vs MongoDB, MongoDB vs PostgreSQL, etc.;
- Familiarity with different iOS and Android SDK versions;
- An understanding of how full-stack developers work;
- Extensive software development experience including Windows app development, etc.;
- Extensive skills in version control. Developers should have experience using version control systems like Git to manage Flutter source code, track code changes, collaborate effectively with other project developers, etc.
- Sufficient familiarity with different operating systems like Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows, etc.;
- Experience in implementing key features like in-app purchases, cloud messaging, etc. using Flutter.
Note: For specific project requirements, you will require developers with certain specific skills. E.g., you might need skills like AI (Artificial Intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things), and AR (Augmented Reality) for certain features.
You will need to hire additional developers for these. Get in touch with us at DevTeam.Space via this quick project specification form and we will get back to you to answer any questions that you might have.
Other Flutter developer skills
Flutter app developers also need the following software application development skills:
A. Application security skills
Top Flutter developers know how to code secure apps. They also know about the top application security vulnerabilities. Developers need to mitigate these risks.
You should hire developers with knowledge of encryption. They should know how to use tools like digital signature, antivirus, and firewall for enhanced application security. Flutter engineers should understand the importance of compliance and security testing.
Flutter experts should know how to secure APIs. They should use tools and methods like authentication, throttling, encryption, etc. to secure APIs.
B. Code review
Flutter app developers need code review expertise. They should know how to approach the task of reviewing code in a systematic way. You need experienced developers for code review. Look for expert developers with a good understanding of software quality management.
C. Knowledge of software engineering
Flutter developers need to understand software engineering and all of the ins and outs of the various software app development processes. You need Flutter experts that know about coding guidelines. They should also know about defect prevention and testing, etc.
D. Knowledge of software application development methodologies
Top Flutter developers should have an in-depth understanding of the software app development lifecycle. They need to know the important development methodologies like Agile and Waterfall.
E. Knowledge of software architecture
You need to hire Flutter app developers with a good knowledge of software architecture. Developers should know of important architectural patterns like microservice architecture. They should understand how different architectural decisions influence scalability, performance, maintainability, testability, etc.
F. User Experience and Design Skills
Hire Flutter designers with sound UI/UX design skills using the Flutter platform. They should be able to build user interfaces using pre-designed Flutter widgets. They should have good expertise in layout management, themes, responsive design, design adaptability for different screen sizes and orientations, etc.
Your developers should have expertise in implementing Flutter widgets that follow Material Design Guidelines for Android and Cupertino guidelines for iOS. These design systems will help your developers create platform-specific user experiences. This is essential.
G. Software Testing Skills
Software testing is of the utmost importance in the app development lifecycle. Agile development also encourages test-driven development, where developers write test cases before the application code, ensuring no bug or loophole in the final software product.
H. Continuous Integration and Deployment Skills
Your Flutter developers should have extensive expertise of the whole Flutter development process, including building, testing, and deploying Flutter apps to different platforms.
They should be familiar with continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) practices and have experience in automated build and deployment processes using tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.
You should hire Flutter developers who can write test routines, like unit test cases, integration test cases, etc., to ensure each software module works perfectly. Your Flutter developers should be familiar with automated testing tools and libraries.
I. Good communication and team skills
The best Flutter developers must have excellent “soft skills”. These are as follows:
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- Communication skills:
Communication is one of the keys to successful Flutter development projects. Your Flutter developer should communicate effectively with all relevant stakeholders and not only peers. - Teamwork:
You need Flutter programmers to work effectively in a team environment. They should work collaboratively with your existing team too. - Passion for excellence:
Smart Flutter developers should value quality. A laser-like focus on quality helps them to deliver the right user experience. - Commitment:
You need Flutter developers to meet the project deadlines. They should also meet the project cost and quality requirements. - Empathy:
Flutter consultants and developers should understand the requirements from the perspective of the end users. They need empathy for this.
- Communication skills:
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How to find the best Flutter experts?
You now understand the relevant skills that your Flutter developers need, therefore, you can start to hire developers. Take the following steps:
1. Decide the kind of platform to hire Flutter app developers
You have a great business idea, therefore, you plan to develop an app. You are trying to build a dream team for this project. Your success depends on hiring the right people. Which kind of hiring platform should you use to hire competent developers?
You might find it tempting to hire freelance Flutter developers. After all, you might be able to hire a freelance Flutter developer at a low hourly rate. Will this help you to develop complex Flutter apps?
The reality is that freelancers might work only a few hours a day on your project. They have several projects going on simultaneously as they need a steady income stream. You might find it hard to manage the work of part-time developers. Hiring remote Flutter developers on a freelance platform might compound this problem.
Freelance platforms don’t offer any project management support. Freelance developers routinely look for better earning opportunities so they might leave your project mid-way. You will need to find replacement developers in this case.
Such uncertainties can adversely impact your mobile or web development projects. The impact is more pronounced for complex projects. For complex projects, you should hire full-time developers from trustworthy software development companies like DevTeam.Space which offer expert Flutter development services.
DevTeam.Space offers highly skilled, experienced, and motivated Flutter developers or development teams for you to outsource. They work full-time on your project as they work exclusively for our platform. We offer both complete development teams and individual developers for outsourcing or the option of outsourcing your entire project to us for us to develop.
Our software development processes are data-driven, and they are designed to help you to manage your project as efficiently as possible. You will be kept up to date with daily progress reports to ensure you know where the project is at all times.
We understand the sensitive nature of your data. We sign an NDA and ensure that your intellectual property is safe at all times.
2. Interview the shortlisted candidates
You decided on the right hiring platform, subsequently, you posted your Flutter developer requirements. You will now need to interview developers as their applications come in.
You can undertake the interviews if you have the required Flutter skills. Alternatively, you can ask other project managers, colleagues, or friends to help you if you don’t. Get in contact with us if you need help but can’t find it. You can also use Flutter interview questions that are available online if you need them.
Cover all the key technical areas during the technical interview. Go beyond theoretical questions and assess the hands-on experience of your candidate developers. We recommend that you ask deep follow up questions during the skills interview to really test a candidate’s knowledge.
Check how the candidates have developed creative solutions in their past projects. Describe your business requirements and ask for solutions. Look for clearly throughout and logical solutions that work!
3. Provide detailed information about your application development project
You have selected and hired Flutter developers, and you now need to onboard them. The onboarding process is a key requirement that allows you to quickly get off and running.
Explain your project requirements to your new developers. Provide them with the relevant project development documents. You should share the project specifications and technical solutions with your developers.
Provide access to the project’s technical environment and tools. Developers need access to the code repository.
Introduce the new developers to your existing team. Explain their roles and responsibilities.
Describe the project plan and schedule to your new developers. Explain the project milestones. Set up a clear communication channel and establish accountability.
Interview tips to hire Flutter developers
We offer the following suggestions when hiring Flutter developers:
A. Pay attention to the experience level of the team when you a hire Flutter developer
Flutter enables you to achieve a lot. It’s a user-friendly framework with powerful capabilities. This fact might prompt you to hire inexperienced developers. However, if you do, you expose your project to risks.
Developing a Flutter app can be a complex project. Hire enough senior and mid-level developers so that your team has a judicious mix of experienced and junior developers. For more complex projects, we recommend only hiring mid-level and senior developers.
To hire mid-level and senior developers, contact a reliable software development company like DevTeam.Space. We provide expert Flutter app development services that include outsourcing our field expert developers and dev teams.
B. Find developers with a reasonable time-zone overlap
We strongly recommend making sure that your developer has a good time overlap with you and your team. We usually insist on 4 hours or more, either in the morning or in the afternoon so that you have plenty of time to communicate with them.
Top Tip: If you are not in the same time zone then you must insist on expected time responses, i.e. no longer than 15 minutes, etc. This is something we do with all of our developers and development teams, and this metric goes towards their daily performance report.
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If you only have 4 hours, then every minute really does count. Make sure your developers know and agree to this.
C. Hire developers from flexible service providers
You need a software app development partner with flexible hiring models for your Flutter app development project. A fixed-price model suits a simple app development project with basic specifications.
You will likely require a flexible times-and-materials model for app development with variable feature requirements. Such a model helps you spend resources, in terms of time and money, according to your project requirements.
You should evaluate the services of any software app development company in detail and not just go by the words of their sales team. Analyze the company’s past projects. Talk with their past clients and to read feedback about their experience working with the software app development company.
Flutter developer interview questions (coding)
You should ask questions that help you assess the relevant skills and experience of developers. The following are a few examples:
A. Explain the concept of the “widget” in Flutter. How does Flutter utilize the widget tree to build user interfaces?
Answer:
In Flutter, a widget is a lightweight, immutable description of part of a user interface. Everything in Flutter, from a simple button to complex layouts, is a widget. Widgets are arranged in a tree structure known as the “widget tree.” The widget tree represents the hierarchical structure of the UI.
When a widget’s properties change or the UI needs to be updated, Flutter performs a process called “reconciliation.” During reconciliation, Flutter compares the current widget tree with the new one and updates only the parts that have changed. This approach is efficient because it avoids rebuilding the entire UI and minimizes performance losses.
B. What are “StatelessWidgets” and “StatefulWidgets” in Flutter? When would you use one over the other, and how do they handle UI updates?
Answer:
In Flutter, “StatelessWidget” and “StatefulWidget” are base classes for creating UI components. “StatelessWidget” is used for components that don’t need to manage the internal state. They receive their configuration through constructor arguments and don’t change over time. “StatefulWidget,” on the other hand, is used for components that need to manage internal state.
They have two separate classes: one for the widget itself and another for the mutable state. When the state changes, the widget tree is rebuilt, and the “build” method is called to reflect the updated state visually. Choose “StatelessWidget” when the UI is purely based on input data, and use “StatefulWidget” when the UI needs to react to changes in the internal state.
C. Explain the concept of “Hot Reload” and “Hot Restart” in Flutter. How do these features aid in the development and debugging process?
Answer:
“Hot Reload” and “Hot Restart” are essential features in Flutter that streamline the development and debugging process. “Hot Reload” allows developers to instantly see the changes they make to the code reflected in the running app. It maintains the app’s current state, which is particularly useful for tweaking the UI and quickly iterating on design changes.
However, “Hot Reload” doesn’t reset the internal state, so it’s great for UI changes but may not work well if there are structural code changes. “Hot Restart” fully restarts the app while maintaining the state of the debugger.
It’s used when you want to reset the app’s entire state, including the internal state. These features significantly reduce development time and help developers see the effects of their changes without losing the app’s context.
Submit a Project With Zero Risk
Despite being one of the most popular frameworks, Flutter development is complex and requires great developers to get it right. Why take the risk of hiring anything but the best Flutter developers?
DevTeam.Space is a community of experienced field expert software developers. All of our dedicated Flutter developers have been vetted and trained in our unique agile app development process.
We match only the most suitable Flutter app developer or development team to your project specifications. If you would like to learn more, simply fill out our DevTeam.Space product specification form and one of our experienced account managers will get in touch to answer any questions you might have.
