What Does Your Business Need in an App Developer?

In 2021, 6.37 billion people used smartphones the vast majority of the world’s population.

With smartphones being so prevalent, apps are now a commonplace commodity and are becoming a staple of daily life. They are becoming a necessity for businesses to capture their audiences where they spend the most time every day.

Businesses need to hire app developers to help them create quality apps, but the simple truth is that not all app developers are created equal. In this article, we’ll tell you what your business needs to look for in an app developer so that you can make the best app possible.

Keep reading to learn more.

There are tons of different qualities and skills that app developers need to have to benefit their team.

To begin with, they need to be logical, knowledgeable, and able to solve real-world problems and issues that arise in a programming language. They should have strong management and technical skills and will ideally have finished their bachelor/master’s in computer science.

A developer’s job is not all technical. They need to have strong management skills as well to be able to deal with several issues that arise as well as work well with other team members.

Most strong developers will have deep knowledge of at least two native languages. This can include:

Other important native languages include Dart, Swift, and C++.

No matter what languages they are proficient in, they should be able to code both iOS and Android apps for all sorts of different device sizes.

It’s essential for them to use native programming languages when it comes to app development because they provide:

When looking for a new app developer, make sure they’re highly skilled in at least one or two of these native languages.

A good developer should also have a good eye for app UIs and UX design. They should be able to take PSD files and turn them into SDK and storyboards to create a well-made user interface. This means they need to know:

They should be able to suggest changes that they need when coding the UI with PSD files.

Cross-platform app development refers to apps that can function on different operating systems (like iOS and Android) or different devices (like laptops, smartphones, and tablets).

More than half of all apps created need to be able to function on different platforms to meet the needs of customers. This allows businesses to market to a broader client base.

Also, it will be significantly less costly because you won’t need two separate teams of developers to build a cross-platform app. Development of the app will also be faster for the same reason.

Although there are specialists that focus only on the backend or the frontend, it’s best to be able to get a developer that can work on both.

They should be able to create a backend database along with the hosting and server needs for the app. Many use tools like RoR, NoSQL, and MySQL to develop databases. They should also be able to develop APIs that they need for any project.

When you have individual developers working on the frontend and the backend, you have to give them an ample amount of time for their separate projects. However, if you have an experienced developer working on the backend, they can communicate and collaborate on what they need.

Some other helpful skills when it comes to backend development include:

The more experience the app developer has in working on the backend, the better.

Most app developers learn how to integrate different APIs and SDKs as they gain more experience over their careers. It can take time, even for experienced developers to learn what type of tech is used to build a kind of API.

Look for app developers that have experience working with web services like JSON and RESTful. This gives them the ability to quickly implement APIs for your project.

Some widely-used APIs by developers include:

The types of APIs your project will need will differ from case to case. Check with your developer to see what experience they have with them.

Every time an app needs to access other tools or device features on a phone, it uses code that allows it to implement to device’s native features. It usually takes around 2-4 years for an app developer to learn these skills.

Let’s take a look at a few of the most common device-native features that are needed for apps.

The camera is one of the most important parts of the smartphone when it comes to business app development. Without the camera, many apps can’t even be developed.

Just a few app features that need the camera to function include:

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. A good app developer will have the experience and knowledge needed to implement the necessary camera features for your app.

The vast majority of apps use geolocation to track the user’s location. This can help them find helpful shops that are nearby or give them more accurate results when searching.

A good developer will know how to implement map and geolocation features into the app.

Many audio apps and shopping apps that need voice search need to have access to the smartphone’s microphone. It’s required for many apps.

BLE is a complicated feature to connect to apps as well as other Bluetooth devices. Smartphones also have several sensors used for different reasons.

Senior developers should have the ability to implement these.

It’s important for app developers to also understand how to publish their apps into the App Store and Google Play Store. This includes understanding the guidelines that are needed to submit and having the app they worked so hard on be approved.

Some questions that can be asked to prospective app developers can include how much they understand about the app store, what the conditions are for the different app stores, and how to get approved. You can also have them lay out detailed steps that are needed to publish an app.

Just like any other member of your team, your app developer should have strong communication skills. Depending on the project, founders and entrepreneurs will need to be in constant contact with remote developers.

It is imperative that they understand all of the challenges, requirements, and goals of the app project. They should be able to communicate effectively in the language of the business.

It’s common for projects to hit bottlenecks due to communication.

No one works alone when it comes to big app projects. It’s important for your developer to work in a team and understand all requirements of the client. This is especially important for big projects that could span years.

No matter what the project is, it can’t be done individually, so make sure they are able to work effectively on your team.

A positive attitude is another underrated skill for an app developer. It’s inevitable that developers will get stuck through the development of the app, including obstacles like bugs, errors, and functionality.

They should have problem-solving skills and be able to fix them with a forward attitude. Being passionate about their work is always important.

Now that you have a general idea of what makes a quality app developer, it’s time to go out and find the perfect match for your project. If you’re looking for software design and app developers in Sydney, look no further.

EB Pearls is Australia’s leading software development agency. We provide best-in-class engineering solutions, designs, and development for world-class brands as well as startups.

Book your free consultation with us today!