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Java emerged back in 1995, meaning it is now a well-known and established language. Two-and-a-half decades later, Java has become one of the most used programming languages with a large developer community.
In this article
- Java development skills
- Other skills that Java developers need
- How to find competent Java developers?
- Interview tips for hiring Java developers
- Examples of interview questions when you hire a Java developer
This general-purpose programming language is class-based and object-oriented. Organizations of all sizes use this open-source programming language for a wide range of projects. They use it to develop desktop and mobile apps. Many businesses use it for web development, big data processing, embedded systems development, etc.
The “write once, run anywhere” (WORA) philosophy of Java allows for great portability. This statically-typed language with powerful memory management features enables coders to avoid many common programming errors.
Oracle claims that Java runs on 3 billion devices, and that’s not surprising. The language covers a wide spectrum of the software development landscape. Whether native Android development or using J2EE in an enterprise project, Java has made its mark.
Many observers compare Java with languages like JavaScript, PHP, Python, etc. These other languages certainly have their strengths. However, Java remains the first choice whenever most organizations undertake a complex software development project.
Its versatility drives start-ups and technology giants alike to use Java. For example, Google uses Java in many of its most important projects.
The popularity of Java has resulted in many developers learning it. Therefore, you might think that you can easily hire Java developers. However, the demand for Java programmers is great too. As a recruiter, you might need to spend significant time and effort to hire them.
You need to choose which hiring platform to use. General-purpose freelancer platforms can help you to find Java developers.
The best option, however, is to choose a reputed software development company that can help you to hire full-time Java developers. If you are executing a complex app development project, then you will need full-time programmers. Software development companies might be more useful in this case.
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You will need to interview Java programmers. We suggest that you look for the following skills:
Java development skills
Top Java developers should know the following:
- Java programming language and its rich ecosystem;
- Various software architectural patterns;
- Object-oriented programming;
- How to write reusable Java libraries;
- The working of “Model-View-Controller” (MVC) pattern;
- How JDBC works;
- Popular frameworks to develop web applications, e.g. Spring Boot, Struts, Play, and Spark;
- How concurrency works in Java;
- Hibernate, the popular “Object-Relational Mapping” (ORM) tool for Java programming;
- How to add Java code in HTML by using JSP;
- Java GUI frameworks like Swing;
- How Java servlets work;
- How the “Java Virtual Machine” (JVM) works and what are its limitations;
Depending on your project requirements, you need to look for more specific skills. For example:
- You might need skills in specific web development framework;
- You could need full-stack web developers with CSS and HTML skills along with Java skills;
- You need developers that know popular IDEs like Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA;
- For developing a native Android app, you need coders with native Android development experience and familiarity with Android Studio.
Other skills that Java developers need
Best Java developers need a few more skills, which are as follows:
A. The knowledge of DevOps tools and practices
Java developers in the modern era of software development need to understand DevOps tools and practices very well. The tools could vary depending on projects, however, the underlying DevOps concepts are the same. You need Java programmers that know the importance of an effective CI/CD environment.
B. Familiarity with cloud platforms
You will likely use a cloud platform in your project. Cloud platforms eliminate the need for upfront investment in infrastructure, moreover, you don’t need to focus on infrastructure management.
Your project requirements will determine the cloud platform you use. For example, you will use “Platform-as-a-Service” (PaaS) platforms AWS Elastic Beanstalk or Heroku to develop web applications. On the other hand, you will use a “Mobile-Backend-as-a-Service” (MBaaS) platform like AWS Amplify for developing mobile applications. You need a software developer with Java skills that also knows how to use these platforms.
C. The knowledge of developing secure applications
You might process sensitive information in your app and not just aggregate social media data. You need Java developers that know how to code secure applications. Look for the following skills:
- How to proactively identify and mitigate key application security vulnerabilities like injection and broken authentication;
- The knowledge of using tools and techniques like multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption, etc.;
- How to secure APIs.
D. The skills to develop 1st party APIs
You will likely develop 1st party APIs since they help the front-end of your application to access the back-end using a consistent framework. REST (Representational State Transfer) is the de-facto standard for API development, therefore, you need Java developers that know how to develop RESTful APIs.
Look for programmers that know how to use API development and documentation tools. They should know how to host APIs using cloud platforms. They need the skills to build the backend by using modern SQL and NoSQL databases.
Java programmers should know how to create effective rules for API requests and responses. They need to secure APIs using tools and techniques like authentication tokens, encryption, quotas, throttling, and secure gateways.
E. A background of succeeding in software development projects
The Java developers you hire should know how to succeed in a software development project. They need to know the following:
- How to code in line with the architectural decisions in the project and why it’s important for developing web services;
- Coding in alignment with the user interface design principles used in the project;
- How to collaborate with testers and DevOps engineers to establish an effective CI/CD platform;
- How to review code and find defects early in the lifecycle;
- The importance of collaborating with the information security team for compliance and security testing.
How to find competent Java developers?
We have covered the skill requirements, therefore, let’s take the subsequent steps:
1. Choose a hiring platform to hire Java developers
Your choice of the hiring platform influences your project a great deal. Hiring the right kind of people will help ensure project success. On the other hand, hiring inexperienced Java programmers can cause significant deviations from your budget, schedule, and quality objectives.
Turning a troubled project around costs a lot. Choose your hiring platform carefully.
General-purpose freelancer sites can help you to hire Java developers. Their transparent and secure contracting processes can help. While you can get freelancers at a lower rate, you expose yourself to risks.
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Freelancers work part-time on your project. They work remotely, and managing part-time remote freelancers can be hard. Freelancer platforms deduct up to 20% of their earnings, which can demotivate them.
Freelancer platforms specializing in software development are a better option. Their screening process ensures that only high-quality developers join their community. They don’t offer any project management support though. You will need to mitigate the risks of working with freelancers without support from the platform. Be 100% sure to sign an NDA.
The best option is to hire Java developers from software development companies such as DevTeam.Space. In addition to providing development services, we provide full-time developers who are experts in whatever tech stacks your project requires. You can onboard and offboard the developer whenever you like.
We also implement physical, technical, and procedural safeguards such as NDAs to secure your sensitive information.
2. Interview the shortlisted candidates
You have now chosen a hiring platform, now you need to interview the candidates. If you are a Java expert, then you can now interview them. Otherwise, you can ask an associate to interview the candidates. You can also find interview questions from websites like Stack Overflow, etc.
Cover all the skill areas that we have mentioned. Ask the candidates about the complex projects in their portfolio. Find out from them how they approached the complex problems thrown up during the development.
Explain your project requirements, and ask them how they would approach them. You should expect specific responses.
3. Provide relevant information about your application development project
Even top Java developers need relevant information to succeed in your project. Explain the business requirements and the architectural decisions, and provide the documents to the developer you hire. Introduce the developer to your team.
Explain the roles and responsibilities of the developer. Provide access to the technical environment of your project including your source code repository. Set up a communication process. Explain the project schedule and iterations. Describe your milestone review process and payment T&Cs.
Interview tips for hiring Java developers
Keep the following interview tips in mind when you hire a Java software engineer or development team:
A. Prioritize productivity when looking for Java developer talents
Java is one of the most popular programming languages. There’s a large and vibrant community of Java developers. Many software engineers have created excellent tools and frameworks for Java. You can gain considerable productivity by using them, however, you need developers with in-depth knowledge of the important tools.
Finding such top Java developer talent can be hard. It’s harder if you interview remote Java developers. You will find it even harder to hire such quality freelance Java developers.
You can outsource Java development to companies like DevTeam.Space. We provide trustworthy and quality Java development services.
You can also hire dedicated Java developers from us. Our vetting process ensures that your future Java developers are skilled, experienced, and motivated.
B. Focus on the knowledge of multi-threading when looking for qualified Java developers
Java supports multithreading, which is a key advantage. You need the right developers to use this capability though.
Freelance Java developers might not have the requisite experience. A freelance Java developer might show a large project portfolio. However, how do you verify the tall claims?
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Companies like DevTeam.Space does the “heavy lifting” for you while screening developers. You get software engineers with the required skills and experience.
C. Hire enough senior Java developers
Java is a simple language. However, Java programming requires enough care and diligence in complex projects.
You should have a team with a judicious mix of senior, mid-level, and junior developers. Don’t plan to hire only junior developers. Such a team might not be able to meet the schedule, budget, and quality objectives of your project. These challenges will be compounded if you hire freelance Java programmers.
D. Focus on the important frameworks and libraries when looking for great Java developers
The Java ecosystem is vast. Focus on the libraries, frameworks, and tools that you need. Even the most experienced Java developers don’t know all frameworks, libraries, and tools in the Java ecosystem. Hire a Java developer that has the skills that you need.
Examples of interview questions when you hire a Java developer
Experienced Java developers should have the requisite hands-on skills. To hire skilled developers, ask questions to assess their practical knowledge. The following are a few examples:
A. How do path and classpath variables differ in Java?
Answer: The operating system uses the path variable to find the executables. On the other hand, Java uses the classpath variable to find class files.
B. Mention the differences between vectors and arrays in Java.
Answer: Vectors are dynamically allocated. They have dynamic lists of references to other objects. Vectors can hold data of different types, and their size can change. Arrays are static. They have fixed primitive types and sizes.
C. Explain the need for the finalize() method.
Answer: The Java garbage collector calls the finalize() method when it finds that there are no references to an object. Such objects can then be discarded. Java uses the finalize() method for such clean-up tasks.
Refer to our Java interview questions for more examples.
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Our account manager can also introduce you to our expert Java developers and explain how our unique process can help you.
