Even nowadays, it’s common to see websites that fully refresh when switching between different pages on them. Such a situation, however, is pretty much unacceptable for web apps — it negatively affects the user experience and may cause conflicts in data exchange processes. Thankfully, with the current state of internet technology, we are able to create web apps that look, behave, and perform just like native apps installed on our devices.
The key to achieving this? AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML).
What is Ajax and why should you hire Ajax programmers?
Ajax is neither a programming/computer language nor a single tool — it’s a collection of various technologies allowing Ajax programmers to deliver websites and web apps that behave similarly to programs installed on our desktops. With the power of Ajax, websites and web apps can exchange (both send and retrieve) data from a server asynchronously.
Examples of such solutions are all around us. One of the most obvious one would be Facebook. Imagine that you are scrolling through the Facebook feed. As you scroll, only the new posts load — all the other parts of the website, including the header or the Messenger menu, stay the same, no need for reloads. Similarly, if you decide to read comments under one of the posts that grabbed your attention, only the new comments will load, the rest of the page will stay the same.
The use of Ajax, therefore, guarantees a much better experience for your users who — thanks to the great performance and no reloadings — will be keener to stay on your website/web app and keep using it.
The must-have technical skills for Ajax programmers
Companies rarely are looking specifically to hire Ajax programmers. Instead, they generally search for web developers (more precisely — front-end web developers) who understand all the elements of Ajax development.
What are those elements?
- HTML
HTML is the language present in the code of virtually every website. It creates the basic architecture of the website — while making websites only with HTML is possible, they will be very simplistic. The current standard of HTML is HTML5 and your Ajax programmer should be familiar with all the both basic and advanced features of this technology.
- CSS
A technology virtually inseparable from HTML. While HTML gives the website its initial setup, CSS allows Ajax developers to improve the site’s presentation/design.
- JavaScript
The most popular and commonly used language in the whole IT world. While it’s considered mostly as a technology dedicated to front-end (client-side) development, alongside HTML and CSS, JavaScript is also usable in areas such as back-end (server-side) development and even mobile cross-platform app development.
- DOM (Document Object Model)
The DOM represents an HTML (or XML) document as a logical tree with each part of the document being a separate node. Ajax programmers must be experts in DOM manipulation to guarantee the best performance and load speed of the website. For improved results, many developers choose a more modern DOM solution, the virtual DOM present in frameworks like React or Vue. Virtual DOM doesn’t require a refresh of all nodes to introduce changes — instead, it compares the current and previous virtual DOM to update only the elements of the website that are different between the two.
- JSON
A popular data-interchange format. Importantly — it’s an incredibly lightweight technology, therefore truly fitting the Ajax principles.
- XMLHttpRequest
An API at the core of Ajax. Developed in the late 1990s, it’s still a broadly used technology that every Ajax programmer must be familiar with.
Besides all the elements of Ajax mentioned above, Ajax programmers should also be knowledgeable in any tools that power your web project. These could be front-end web frameworks (such as React, Angular, or Vue), their smaller libraries, or any other technology that you consider an important part of your stack. Additionally, despite their focus on the client-side of the website, your Ajax programmers should also have some knowledge of back-end development for improved collaboration with the team working on the server-side.
Don’t forget about the soft skills
No one ever forgets about checking the hard skills — but many companies do skip the part with soft skills. That’s a mistake. Soft skills directly influence how well your new Ajax programmer will cooperate with other people across the company — and healthy, effective cooperation is vital to achieving innovative solutions.
What soft skills should you specifically look for when you want to hire Ajax programmers?
- User empathy
To build the Ajax-powered front-end with the experience of the end-user in mind.
- Attention to detail
To deliver clean code, free of any critical issues.
- Desire to learn
To constantly research new technologies available on the market and effectively implement them within the classic Ajax design.
The importance of company fit
Hard and soft skills are both important factors when it comes to hiring IT experts — but so a company fit should be. People who truly fit your business can bring to the table their unique experience and knowledge, therefore significantly speeding up the whole development process.
When it comes to hiring Ajax programmers, the three most important areas of the company fit to consider are…
- Product fit
As Ajax is a standard for virtually all of modern web development, it means there is pretty much an unlimited number of use cases for it. There are social media platforms developed with Ajax; but also much more specialist apps for niche groups of customers.
To make sure your development process goes smoothly, hire Ajax programmers who have already worked on a project similar to yours. To find the truly best fit, consider not only the general category of the digital product you are building (e.g. an e-commerce platform) but also the features that are its selling point. The closer the match, the better results you will get — and the faster you will get them.
- Industry fit
There are numerous different technical obstacles standing in the way of companies, depending on the industry they are in. Hire Ajax programmers with previous experience in your business vertical as they will be able to translate their knowledge of your target customer and deliver more tailored web products with an amazing user experience.
- Company culture fit
There is nothing that powers up innovation as a team of well-cooperating, like-minded individuals. How to gather such a group in your company? First, consider the values that drive your business — such as the preferred style of management, focus on diversity, or the work environment in the office (startup vs corporation style). Then, look for Ajax programmers and other experts who also consider these values as vital.
When and why should you hire remote Ajax programmers?
Despite the recent boom in various web development bootcamps and courses, we still see a significant shortage of developers on the market. This is especially viable for digital businesses based outside of the biggest metropolises.
If you are having trouble finding Ajax programmers — or any other specialized IT experts — in your local area, you should definitely consider hiring remote developers. Such a move gives you access to the world’s greatest talents in the area of web and software development.
What’s more, you might also choose to hire Ajax programmers from other regions for improved budget optimization. For example, the region of Central Eastern Europe is known as the capital of some of the best developers around the globe — at the same time, these developers’ salaries are often lower than those of their Western peers due to the lower costs of living in CEE.
Who else you might need to make your web project a success?
Hiring professional Ajax programmers is a great first step to establishing an amazing web product. However, even the best Ajax talents might not be enough to guarantee your product the success you desire.
To make sure you are fully secured, consider hiring additional experts for your team. And whether you need talented back-end developers to handle your server-side operations, machine learning engineers to power up your automation projects, or an IT project manager to help with all the management issues — we can help you hire them fast.
