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Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime environment that allows for the execution of JavaScript code outside a web browser.
A key feature of Node.js is that it utilizes a single programming language, JavaScript, for both the client-side and server-side scripts. This makes a software development project easier. It also helps reduce coding errors.
Many popular web apps were created using Node.js. Their creators also built their corresponding mobile apps using software from the rich JavaScript-Node.js ecosystem. Some popular Node.js-based platforms and apps include PayPal, Netflix, Uber, LinkedIn, and Medium.
Being such a popular runtime environment means that there are lots of Node.js developers out there. The question is how do you find a great Node.js developer when there are so many?
Well, the good news is that it is not as hard as it sounds when you know how. The first choice you will have to make is what kind of platform you will use.
There are several types of platforms that will enable you to hire Node.js developers.
The best option for any startup or enterprise-level company that is looking to undertake anything but the simplest project is to hire developers from a reputable software development company such as DevTeam.Space.
We allow our clients to outsource our full-time developers and development teams, or, indeed, to outsource their entire project development to us. We vet each developer individually and regularity retrain our developers so that they are on the cutting-edge of their technology.
If you wish to learn more, simply fill in this specification form and one of our account managers will get in touch to answer any questions that you might have.
Ok, so before we delve deeper into the pros and cons of each type of platform, let’s start at the beginning and take a closer look at the technical skills that you will need from your Node.js developer or development team.
Please note that this is a generalized list as there is such a wide range of possible project requirements out there. The skills you need will be specific to your project.
Node.js programming skills
There are several key skill sets to look for in your Node.js developer:
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- In-depth skills in Node.js. Node.js comes with a large library of Node.js IDEs and tools. Your developer should know about a lot of these and which ones can help your project development (Be sure to test them on the ones you need for your project during the interview).
- Good code writing skills and knowledge of the best practices.
- Experience using Node.js frameworks such as Express, Koa.js, Hapi, and Total.js.
- Knowledge of Model-View-Controller (MVC) frameworks for Node.js including Strongloop, Sinatra, and Rails.
- All Node.js programmers must have mastered front-end technologies like HTML5 and CSS3.
- A comprehensive understanding of asynchronous programming or non-blocking programming. This is still fairly new to many Node.js programmers but they need to have a good understanding of how this approach can be used most effectively.
- Experience developing applications using database management processes to integrate several different source databases into one system without significantly reducing its performance.
- A knowledge of RESTful APIs including the development of new ones and the modification of existing ones already available in libraries.
These are all must-have skills for any Node.js project. However, if you have a more complex project, you will need a senior-level Node.js developer.
Advanced skills in a senior-level Node.js developer
There are several other important skills any expert-level Node.js programmer should have.
If you are planning a more complex project then look for these skills:
- Experience using workflow automations such as Gulp, NPM tools such as these help to improve the speed of the finished application and so should be used.
- Also vital is an extensive knowledge of MVC frameworks like Meteor, Angular.js, Blaze, and React.
- Comprehensive knowledge of source code management tools.
- The skills to efficiently add scalability into web apps.
Other software development skills required for Node.js web development
There are several additional skills that any Node.js software developer worth hiring should have mastered.
A. How to best secure apps
If your final product gets a bad reputation for security, no one is going to use it. This is why you need to make certain that you hire Node.js developers who have good knowledge and experience in this field.
Your precise needs will once again depend on your project specifications. However, as a general rule, your Node.js developer should have good understanding and experience in the following:
- User authentication and authorization.
- Encryption.
- General application vulnerabilities and how to avoid them.
- How to secure APIs.
- Experience in undertaking security tests.
- An understanding of data protection laws.
B. Error handling
Dealing with errors quickly and efficiently is the hallmark of any mid or senior level Node.js developer. The ability to quickly identify the cause of a problem and to solve it so that it does not reoccur should not be underestimated.
A good number of entry-level Node.js programmers have not yet mastered this skill. A fairly simple error can send them into a nosedive which might take them hours or even days to solve. This is why inexperienced web developers often end up costing you more.
Top tip: We have a simple but very effective way to test this ability during an interview. After your candidate has submitted their code test during the interview, we like to add a few lines of erroneous code into their work and flag up an error during the next interview.
Get your candidate to review the code live and see how long it takes them to spot the error and identify it as not being their code. How they flag up the error will give you a good idea of their communication skills too, as if they simply fix it and don’t say much, then their communication skills are not what they should be.
C. Testing
Just as efficient error handling is the sign of an experienced developer, testing is an important quality in what makes a great Node.js developer.
While automated testing will identify many code faults very quickly. The only way to make sure that your code is as good as it should be is to get your developer to undertake regular code reviews. These are often performed at the end of each sprint in the development process.
Your developer should be reviewing all the code that they have written to check for errors and identify code vulnerabilities.
A good indication of their experience level will be the number of years they have been working on Node.js application development as well as any time spent working as a code reviewer. You can also check their published apps on the app stores to see if their are many issues with bugs, etc. Check all these before you hire.
D. A good track record of delivering reliable code on time
The successful collaboration between developers, testers, DevOps engineers, project managers, and the product owner is what makes effective software development possible.
All developers, no matter whether they are working in an office or remotely, must work well as part of a team. Being a reliable team player who writes good code is essential. However, the project manager also needs to know that they can rely on each member of the team to do what they are asked, as well as working well as a team.
Your Node.js developer should be able to easily fit into your team. You should look for a good communicator who is able to work on their own initiative. An example of this is the ability to raise upcoming issues regarding potential roadblocks, etc., without being asked.
Checking into what kinds of projects your developer has worked on will give you an idea of a programmer’s experience when it comes to working well in a team.
Top Tip: Don’t wait until past the first interview to establish a candidates working hours and subsequent work hours overlap with yours. We strongly recommend ensuring you have a 4+ hour overlap, either at the start of the day or end of it, so that you can keep up to date with the developer and have sufficient time to overcome any problems.
How to find the best Node.js developer?
Now that you understand the main skill sets that you need to look out for when hiring Node.js programmers, you can begin the hiring process.
1. Decide what kind of platform to hire Node.js developers
General purpose freelancer sites offer clients easy access to lots of Node.js developers. They leave you in full control of the hiring and management process. You can find cost-effective developers on these platforms as they tend to charge the freelancer fees rather than the client.
However, this is definitely a double-edged sword. Many charge substantial fees to freelancers, which often demoralizes them. This is definitely not something you want (you won’t belive the number of failing projects we have had to fix because of this precise problem).
These sites also don’t vet their freelancers, nor do they offer anything in the way of NDAs or client protection should a freelancer fail to do what they have agreed. Many freelancers only work part-time and will be in different time zones too.
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There are a growing number of freelance platforms that only deal with software and UI developers. These software development-specific freelancer sites claim to vet all their applicants and to only hire the top ones (we’ve seen some ludicrous claims of only the top 1% which means they interview 100 developers for every one they hire).
Keep in mind that you won’t get much in the way of project management or project management tools from these platforms. This means that you will need a competent PM who has experience managing remote developers. Hiring unmanaged developers can also be a problem if they are located in a far away country.
The best solution is to hire a developer or development team from a reputable software development company such as DevTeam.Space.
DevTeam.Space allows you to outsource our vetted developers who work with the company on a full-time basis. We guarantee the quality of their work. I.e. We don’t require any payment until you are 100% happy with the work produced.
We offer managed developers as well as access to both our project management tools and our unique Agile development process to ensure your project development is as easy as possible. We also ensure the security of your code and sign NDAs to protect your intellectual property.
Get in touch to arrange a complimentary discovery call if you would like to learn more.
2. Interview the shortlisted candidates
Now you have decided on your preferred hiring method, you can start the interview process. Keep in mind that if you are using a software development company then you won’t need to spend anywhere near as much time interviewing as you will with freelancer sites.
Start by shortlisting the most suitable candidates and take it from there.
You should set up the usual preliminary, a skills, and final interview. Come armed to the skills interview with plenty of expertise and prepreared Node.js interview questions that relate to your project.
Top Tip: Be sure to ask testing follow up questions to their skill test answers. This is the best way to assess their actual abilities. If the candidate owns up to not knowing an answer, don’t dismiss them completely.
Provided they do well in the interview, let them pass to the next round then ask them once again. If they are able to answer the question after this break, it means that you have a motivated developer on your hands who has gone out independently to find the answer. An honest, motivated developer is precisely what you need.
You should also do research into the candidate’s work history and testimonials and introduce a few questions on this.
3. Provide detailed information about your project
Once you have found your Node.js developer then it is time to bring them up to speed on all details of your application development project. Before you reveil the following details, we strongly advise you sign an NDA with the developer.
This will include:
- Project requirements including requirements, technical solutions, architectural decisions.
- Their role in the development.
- Your development approach i.e. Agile, Scrum, etc.
- Any contractual obligations including NDA.
- Introduction of the new developers and the larger team.
- Setting up communication channels and tools like GitHub.
- Tasks to be completed by the first milestone/sprint.
Tips for interviewing Node.js developers
The following interviewing tips could help you to hire Node.js developers:
A. Decide early whether you will use the MEAN or MERN stacks for web app development
By choosing Node.js, you have decided to use JavaScript for your web app development project. Therefore, developers with the knowledge of MEAN or MERN stacks could be useful.
Decide whether these technology stacks fit your bill. Check whether the Node.js developers have skills in these tech stacks.
B. Keep in mind the risk of variable type-related errors
JavaScript is a dynamically typed language. It’s highly popular for developing web applications. It’s flexible, however, there’s the risk of variable type-related errors.
Check if your candidates have the skills and experience to avoid such errors. Review their completed projects. Remember that this assessment can be hard. Your best bet could be to hire from a trustworthy software company like DevTeam.Space that provides professional Node.js application development services including access to our fully-trained developers.
C. Evaluate the knowledge of Node.js tools
Different programming languages offer many open-source tools developed by their respective developer communities. JavaScript is an example. Its rich ecosystem makes web development and mobile app development easier.
Although Node.js is a runtime environment, it’s a part of the rich JavaScript ecosystem. A vibrant developers’ community creates excellent open-source tools for Node.js. You can access them easily, thanks to Node Package Manager (NPM).
They make web app development easier. Check whether the candidates have a thorough knowledge of the important tools that your project will benefit from. Assess whether the candidates have analyzed or used some of the important tools found on the Node Package Manager.
Dedicated developers and dedicated teams from companies like DevTeam.Space have comprehensive knowledge of these tools. We regularly retrain our developers to make sure that they know them back to front.
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D. Pay attention to performance and scalability requirements
Some programming languages offer high performance, and JavaScript is one of them. The JavaScript ecosystem has many frameworks and tools that provide performance and scalability. They help you to manage projects with stringent non-functional requirements. Node.js is an example, with its asynchronous programming capabilities.
Evaluate whether the candidates know how to create performant and scalable web apps using Node.js. Check whether know about efficient API development.
E. Hire Node.js developers with a high motivation level
Naturally, you need skilled and experienced Node.js developers, however, you need even more than that. Even the most skilled and experienced Node.js developer will deliver a below-par performance if their motivation level is low. Look for Node.js developers the demonstrate motivation and a good attitude.
While motivation is an individual quality, the company providing you with Node.js programmers has a role to play.
A few software development companies routinely encourage their Node.js programmers to upskill. E.g., they might learn other languages, databases, or other tools. Such Node.js developers have a high degree of motivation. Hire from such a Node.js development company. DevTeam.Space is one such web and mobile app development company.
F. Look for Node.js developers with a sound understanding of software architecture
Node.js development isn’t just about coding. Modern web and mobile apps function in a highly complex environment. They must deliver the functional requirements with a high level of performance. However, that’s not enough.
Over the long run, you also need an app that you can maintain easily. For example, you need flexibility in future API development. Your project manager needs to ensure that the app can be tested easily. The choice of software architecture pattern makes a big difference here, and architectural decisions are important.
Senior Node.js programmers should understand software architecture well. While they will not design the architecture in any Node.js development project, senior Node.js programmers still need to implement architectural decisions effectively. Your project will also benefit enormously if they can provide relevant inputs to the architect. Node.js developers can do these only if they know enough about software architecture.
G. Hiring a remote dedicated team of Node.js developers? You need a senior team leader in that team
Remote dedicated development teams have built many leading software projects.
If you want to hire Node.js developers that will work remotely for you, then you need a senior team leader in your remote team. The lack of a senior team leader will adversely impact the effectiveness of your project manager. The PM needs to spend plenty of effort just to coordinate with the remote team. Hire Node.js remote teams with a capable team leader.
Samples of questions when interviewing Node.js programmers
Ask questions to assess the hands-on app development knowledge when you hire Node.js developers.
Check out the following examples:
A. Explain the function of the “EventEmitter Object” in Node.js
Answer: The asynchronous event-driven architecture of the Node.js core API has objects called “emitters”. They emit events, subsequently, functions are called. Objects that emit events are included in the “EventEmitter” class. When they emit events, the functions that are attached to that event are called asynchronously.
B. What is an “error-first callback” in Node.js?
Answer: Node.js programmers utilize “error-first callbacks” to pass errors and data. They first pass an “error object” as a parameter to these functions. The parameters represent the data related to the object. By passing an “error object” to “error-first callbacks”, developers check for errors and handle them.
C. What are the differences between “process.nextTick()” and “setImmediate()” functions?
Answer: The “processnextTick()” function waits for the execution of an action. It invokes the callback function after the completion of an event loop. On the other hand, the “setImmediate()” function executes a callback method on the next cycle of an event loop. It returns the control to the event loop to handle I/O operations.
Please note that you need questions specific to your project. Please review our Node.js interview questions page for more.
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If you are looking for expert Node.js developers, DevTeam.Space is the company that you need. We have a large community of expert Node.js developers that you can outsource from.
You are more than welcome to arrange a complimentary discovery call by filling out a DevTeam.Space product specification form. After filling out the form, one of our dedicated account managers will get back to you to answer any questions you might have.
