Hire a Backend Developer

Are you looking to hire a backend developer but aren’t sure exactly what to look for? Do you need work done on your applications or website, but aren’t sure whether to hire a frontend developer or a back end developer? Then this expert advice and knowledge may be perfect for helping to hire the right backend developer talent for your site. Here are some details to help you in your search to hire back end developers. 

To start, the back-end essentially refers to the work that happens behind an application or website. While the end-user will not see what happens on the back-end, their work influences what happens in the front-end user interface. Back-end developers are concerned with the app’s architecture, server communication, building APIs, and security. Therefore, back end developers focus on the core components and features of programs, and are the driving force behind the digital experience of the consumer. They play a key role in the performance, speed, and end development of the project. The backend developer ensures that whenever a user requests particular data or information from your database, the data requested will be delivered. Back end developers play an important role in ensuring that the systems that companies and businesses use run more effectively. That’s why we have outlined everything you need to know about hiring the best back end developers.

Skills to look for to Hire a Backend Developer

To be able to hire back end developers, you need a thorough understanding of the skills that a freelance back end developer or backend developer needs to possess. In this resource, we outline some of the skills, coding experience, and web services commonly expected of backend developers. Firstly, here are some quick examples of coding experience that backend developers should be familiar with and will likely advertise when they post their service on job boards.

PHP

PHP is a coding language that many back end developers should know and is widely considered to be an industry standard in web and application development. Because of this, there is a high demand for programmers who use it. It is a unique code, mainly because it is a server side scripting language and is unlike others such as Python and Java. This language interprets scripts to improve app performance and automate processes that are performed as routine. It is easy to learn for backend developers, known for its speed, and is cost-effective as many servers, technologies, and databases already support it and most project managers or freelancers are familiar with it. If you want to hire the best back end developer, this is one of the programming languages that all back end developers need to have mastered.

Git

Git is also another commonly known coding language used by back end developers. Git is a version control system that is open-source that is used by many backend developers. It is one of the technology products of the Linux OS founder. Git allows every developer with the code of a project to author the history of the back ends of the project or application, and access the changes that were made. Therefore, it becomes easy for each back end developer within your network or server to restore or edit code in your databases. Because of this, there are many contractors and experts that like how easy it is to work and edit code with other team members. Git is secure, high-performing, and flexible, which are all things that make it a popular tool for back end developers. 

Python and Ruby on Rails

This is one of the main development languages of the world today. If you want to know just how much more Java is prized, you can refer to Stack Overflow’s 2019’s report that places Python in the same league as Git and Rust. The likability and popularity of Python for backend development is attributed to its ability to support many styles while providing good data visualizations. It has expansive data libraries that ease the process of back end development and technologies that are easy to learn. There is another similar web development/programming language to Python known as Ruby on Rails that can be used to build specific web applications, end-technologies and related projects/solutions. It was created to make programming web apps easier, helping to add features and resources that help programmers to make websites with high complexity.

Java

This is a language that can be described as “general purpose” and is majorly used in the back-end for server side software development. As a modern back-end developer, working with Java and having experience with APIs are crucial skills to possess as the language easily runs in a different system or server, and aids object-oriented programming. Especially with an understanding of the Java APIs, knowing this language can be a very useful tool for creating technical solutions for many different types of projects. 

HTML, CSS and JavaScript

These three languages are considered the front-end “trifecta,” but they are also useful things for back-end developers to know because they determine what the end-user sees on the user interface. Whether a developer chooses to work on the front or back-end, these languages will intersect each other at one point or another. If you are interested in hiring a multidisciplinary/full stack developer, freelance back end developers, or front end developers, the ability to work with technology stacks is a must-have. This is why it is important to understand which system architecture the developer is experienced in working with. The languages we have discussed above, as well as other languages like Apache and others, encompass most of what your ideal backend developer or web architect may need to know to create a well functioning app, site, or web application. Understanding these coding languages can help you during the vetting process when you are looking to hire back end developers. 

Soft Skills of a Backend Developer

Included in their coding abilities, backend developers should have some soft skills that will make them an even stronger expert in your development team. Someone who has exceptional backend developer talent and experience should also have good communication, be skilled in time management, learn your database, have good business logic, and be able to work together with the frontend developers and project managers to create a quality product for your company.

With good business logic, back end developers can also help to work together with the software development team to create a product that satisfies the customer and predicts any business problems or software issues that may come up in future. Many start ups and businesses struggle to find software engineers that can not only find software solutions and know data science, but can also communicate their ideas effectively, work well with project managers, and be a good team member during the development process. With good soft skills, the experience and feel of working with a developer will be more enjoyable and efficient. Below, we discuss more options and considerations when it comes to hiring a back-end developer and more.

Where to Hire a Backend Developer

Next is the question of what type of backend developers you are looking for. Often companies, businesses and startups struggle in their search with knowing if they want to hire freelance back end developers or in-house developers. Finding a freelance backend developer that fits your business needs and is the right person to join your development teams can be difficult. One of the first places to start is to figure out whether you are looking for a senior software engineer, mid-level or a junior developer. Freelance senior developers have the ability to write high quality code, are full stack developers, have good business logic, and have experience being a director or product manager of engineering teams. However, they may not be the best candidate for your project and experts can be more expensive than you are looking for, especially when hiring in countries like the United States. Whereas mid-level or junior freelance engineers may fit your budget, but not have the right skills for the position. Another thing to consider is what type of developer you want to hire and how you want to hire a developer. Hiring backend developers can depend on a few things. For instance, are you interested in hiring an in-house team, freelance backend developer, or outsourcing. 

Hiring an in-house team or freelance backend developer

Choosing between an in-house team or a freelance back end developer is an important decision for any company. For instance, an in-house developer may be appropriate for a company that values face to face feedback, prefers developers who understand the company culture, need to develop a complex application or apps, and are able to make changes as soon as possible. This may sound appealing to have a team of in-house developers as the engine behind your business, however there are also downsides. There is a bit more to maintaining an in-house group compared to outside consultants or a freelancer. Unlike freelance talent, you will have to buy and maintain both software and hardware with an in-house developer. Also, because of their talent, in-house developers that are experts of senior developers are in high demand and if you hire a whole team, you may end up with a group of experts to pay.

On the other hand, a freelance backend developer is often good for startups and freelance talent is often in high demand on job boards, but in some cases they also aren’t the best option for long-term projects. Furthermore, freelance developers are often not the kind of employee that will stay with one company or be the driving force behind your business. A freelancer will most likely find another work environment, leading to a high employee turnover in your company.

Outsourcing

For those with good business logic and are keen analysts of the market, outsourcing is often a good option for saving time and money for your company. Outsourcing the hiring process is an alternative that allows you to overcome all the challenges associated with hiring an in-house group or freelance back end developer. You do not have to pay salaries to maintain your group nor pay for software or hardware.

Instead, you have experts in a company who are dedicated to hire the right backend developers for your business needs and can hire freelancers who can work on your site remotely. This is the model that we encourage at Hiremotely. To ensure that you get the best developer talent during the hiring process and hire a developer that works best for you, we ensure our developers have all the necessary technical skills through a rigorous 5-step vetting process. Whether they are a junior freelance back end developer or a full stack senior developer, our database is a place you can find the best, highly recommended developers that will complete your job on time.

Hire a Backend Developer on Hiremotely

When you use Hiremotely, we allow you access to databases of up to 8, 300 developers. If you are looking to hire a development team, freelance back end developer, or hire a developer with the best talent, you can find one from our team in a few simple steps. Whether you are a mobile application consultant for a small startup or the head of a large company, you can find a developer that is suited to fit your needs. 

All you have to do is define the type of developer you want, in this case backend developers, and the scope of your project, job or university project. You will then input the expected pay rates, the number of hours a week (whether full time or part time), and the time frame in which you need the job done.

After this, you will enter your information including name, phone number, and email, and allow us to get back to you in a day. We will give you further directions concerning your project and connect you with the right back-end developers matched for you.