Android Developers Hiring Guide

The most wide-used mobile platform should be on your radar

Android is the most widely-used mobile platform in the world with a 72.72% global market share. Not only does that mean there are massive amounts of Android-based mobile devices on the planet, it means the market for Android apps is huge.

What impact does that have on your business? It implies that you should already have an Android app available on the Google Play Store. And, if you don’t, you should be in the process of developing one. If not, you’re already way behind the curve. And given how competitive the market is these days, being behind the curve could be disastrous.

To that end, you want to make sure your development team is already up for the task of developing apps for Android. There might be one particular figure that will help shape your plans to release that Android app. As of now, there are nearly 5 million apps on the Google Play Store. What does that do for your Android plans? It means you need to:

Carefully plan and develop your app.
Deploy an app that serves a specific purpose.
Hire the absolute best Android developers you can find.

If you’re not taking care of each of those items above, know that your Android app is going to struggle. Given how many apps are already available, getting yours seen by the general public is already a challenge. But if you carefully plan out an app that not only serves a specific purpose, but one that offers your customers a better interactive experience with your brand, and this app is developed by the best software engineers you can find, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Of course, that type of plan is specific to an app that interfaces with your current company website or makes it possible for customers/clients to more easily purchase goods and/or services. You might be releasing a game or an app in a different entertainment space. Should that be the case, hiring the absolute best developers is a must.

Hiring Guide
Interview Questions
Job Description

Android is developed primarily in Java and its APIs are designed to be called from Java, as well, so it’s hardly a surprise that most Android apps are written in Java. However, it’s possible to develop apps in C++, using the Android Native Development Kit (NDK).

What does that mean for your company? You'll be focusing your Android developer hiring on the Java language.

But there's a catch. Android is based on the Linux kernel, which is primarily written in C. Given that Android apps have to interact with the kernel and the hardware, and nearly all of the kernel drivers are written in C and C++, if you're developing for the Android OS itself, you might need to know C and/or C++. But for Android apps alone, Java will do just fine.

To develop for Android, you must focus your search on developers with more than just Java skills. It's important to note that Android isn’t just limited to Java. You can develop apps with the following other languages:

Kotlin - the "other" official Android language that is similar to Java, but easier to learn and is Google's preferred language.
C++ - The Android Studio supports C++ with the help of the Android NDK.
C# - an alternative to C and C++ that's more beginner-friendly.
LUA (Corona) - very simple language that allows the calling of native libraries.
JavaScript - with the help of PhoneGap you can use this to build Android apps.

Of course, developing with Android isn't just about the programming language. There are other tools of the trade, such as:

Android Studio - The Integrated Development Environment for Android.
ADB - Android Debug Bridge is a command-line tool within Android Studio used for debugging and QA.
Fabric - a platform that gives developers the ability to create using kits.
FlowUP - allows developers to monitor the performance of their apps.
GameMaker: Studio - one of the most popular tools for creating 2D games with little code.
Genymotion - an Android emulator that allows developers to test and preview apps on over 3,000 device scenarios (such as different devices and UI overlays).
Gradle - one of the most popular development tools for creating applications at scale.

How difficult is it to find good Android developers?

It should come as no surprise that finding quality Android developers shouldn't be all that challenging. Simply because Android is so popular, you'll find a massive talent pool from which to choose. You should be able to reach out to any hiring firm, which can then put together a star-studded team for your Android project needs. And because Java is also still an incredibly popular language, the possibilities should be seemingly endless for you.

How to choose an Android developer for your project

It's important to understand that, when hiring an Android developer, you can't just find the best Java developer on the market. You also need a team with strong UI design skills. Remember, you want to release an app that is the absolute best, which means it needs to be user-friendly with a modern UI.

So you need to be on the lookout for a developer who understands:

Java
Mobile app development
Mobile app UX
Modern app needs
Cloud-native development
API interaction
Mobile security
Android Studio
Databases
Material Design
Android Software Development Kit (SDK)

You might not find a single developer who has mastered all of those skills and tools, but you can at least ensure that list is covered by a team of Android developers.

Conclusion

Your company shouldn't have any trouble finding Android developers. But don't just settle for the first developers you find. The competition is fierce, and you need to employ the best Android development team you can get. Empowered with his knowledge, you shouldn't have any problem finding the perfect match.

What are the components of the Android application architecture?

The Android application architecture is comprised of the following:

Services
Intent
Resource Externalization
Notification
Content providers

What is an activity?

An activity is anything that performs an action on the screen.

What is the APK format?

The Android Packaging Key (APK) is a compressed package made up of classes, UIs, supportive assets, and manifests.

What is an Android manifest file?

The manifest is a file that presents essential information about an app to the Android operating system. This information is required before Android runs the app's code.

What is an Android service?

A service is any activity that runs in the background without UI interaction.

We are looking for a developer responsible for creating exciting Android applications, as well as integrating the necessary backend elements to allow the app to communicate with our current website.

Our Android developers will be responsible for analyzing both user and company requirements to successfully build and deploy a meaningful, useful, and profitable (if applicable) application.

Responsibilities

Design, build and maintain efficient, reusable, and reliable Android applications.
Integrate data storage solutions.
Carefully monitor the performance of deployed Android apps and constantly find ways to improve them.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and design new features.
Stay up to date with new mobile technology trends, applications, and protocols.
Identify bottlenecks and bugs, and devise solutions to these problems
Help maintain code quality, organization, and automatization
Analyze user requirements to help inform application design.
Define application objectives and functionality.
Align application design with business goals and customer needs.
Develop, test, and debug software.
Produce detailed documentation.
Recommend changes to existing web applications and infrastructure.
Ensure continuous professional self-development.

Skills And Qualifications

Degree in Computer Science or related field.
Experience with Android app design, Java, UX, database structures, and statistical analyses.
Basic understanding of front-end technologies, such as JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3.
Understand the principles behind scalable applications.
Ability to implement automation testing.
Solid problem-solving skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication.
Good organizational skills.
Ability to work as part of a team.
Attention to detail.