Node.js is a sophisticated runtime environment that allows developers to use the most popular programming language in the world, JavaScript, to build amazingly performant server-side applications. According to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, Node.js is the most popular such tool, being used by approximately 52 percent of professional developers. Throughout the years, Node has been utilized by numerous global IT players, including Netflix, LinkedIn, Uber and PayPal. And all this has happened since only 2009, when the tool was released for the first time.
Why choose Node.js over other back-end solutions?
Between October 2017 and January 2018, the Node.js Foundation ran a user survey on the tool. When asked to describe Node.js, some of the most popular responses included "fast," "easy," "awesome," "powerful," "flexible," and — the one we like the most — "fun."
Let’s translate it into specifics. Why should you choose to hire Node.js developers? Why invest in this specific technology instead of the others?
- As Node.js utilizes JavaScript, a primarily front-end technology, it’s easier to hire Node.js developers who can work as full-stack developers.
- There is a huge number of frameworks and libraries built for Node.js. Utilizing them can significantly speed up the development process.
- The community around the tool is huge — this means it’s easier to find solutions to common problems.
- Node.js is a great solution for microservice-based web products.
- The tool is an amazing choice for companies that wish to scale fast, as it makes it easy to handle concurrent connections from hundreds of thousands of users.
- Node.js guarantees great performance, partly due being based on Google’s V8 engine.
What hard skills should you prioritize when you hire Node.js experts?
To utilize all the amazing benefits of Node.js, you must hire Node.js developers. What technical skillset does such a role require?
- Back-end experience with JavaScript
JavaScript might be the most popular programming language, but not every person knowledgeable in it can utilize it well on the back-end. Make sure you hire Node.js experts and not just any JavaScript devs.
- Proficiency in front-end tech
Despite working primarily on the back-end, your Node.js experts might sometimes need to utilize their front-end knowledge too. Besides JavaScript, this includes a high level of proficiency with HTML and CSS.
- Expert knowledge of Node.js
Make sure that you hire Node.js developers with vast experience in different Node.js frameworks and libraries. Knowledge of Express, the most popular such tool, will most likely be a must, but there are others worth investing in, such as Koa or Hapi.
- Experience in database management
Effective data storage solutions are essential for your web app’s back-end. To operate on this level, you should hire Node.js developers with experience in either SQL or NoSQL and relevant database management tools, such as MongoDB.
- Experience with operations in the cloud
The cloud is not the future anymore — it’s the present. All major web apps operate in the cloud and so should yours to provide the best user experience. The most popular cloud solutions include AWS and Azure — hiring Node.js developers with experience with either would be perfect.
The power of soft skills in Node.js web development
Without the aforementioned technical skillset, virtually no work can be done with Node.js. However, when you hire Node.js developers, you should not overlook the soft skills either. A specific set of those can significantly improve the efficiency of your developer, and ensure they cooperate well with others in the company.
We recommend reviewing the following soft skills:
- Efficient time management
The daily schedule can be disturbed easily when a critical issue arises. The ability to quickly adjust one’s plan in a way it will affect the development process minimally is, therefore, crucial for a Node.js developer.
- Eye for detail
Spotting bugs before the deployment can save a lot of time and ensures a better user experience. Hire Node.js developers who triple-check their code and rarely miss a bug to secure a great future for your web app.
- Being approachable
A Node.js developer has to work closely with other teams across the company, especially the front-end devs. Enjoying such cooperation is a step to effective brainstorming and innovation.
The best job interview questions to ask when you hire Node.js developers
A proper hiring process cannot be complete without skill assessment in the form of a technical job interview. If you are not a Node.js expert yourself, you should be assisted by one during the process. It can be either another Node.js developer or a software consultant/IT project manager.
What questions are commonly asked during such an interview? We list some of our favorites:
- When would you use clusters and worker threads?
- When would you use async or sync versions of fs functions?
- What is the Big-O notation?
- dependencies vs. devDependencies — what is the difference?
- What kind of ORM do you use?
- What is prototype inheritance in JavaScript?
- When would you use "===" and when would you use "=="?
- How does being single-threaded affect performance? What is event bubbling? When would you use a closure?
How to hire Node.js developers who truly fit your company and project
There are plenty of Node.js developers who will pass your hard and soft skill test. But this doesn’t mean they really fit your company and project. To make sure you onboard someone who can deliver amazing results fast, consider looking into the three areas of company fit.
- Product fit
Look for similarities between your candidate’s previous projects and what you are developing. Building an online store? Find an e-commerce expert. Need a booking system? Get a developer who’s already worked on one. Combining a web app and mobile app into one experience? Hire an expert who has already worked on such a project.
The closer the match, the better your chances of hiring a Node.js developer who already knows how to develop solutions you have planned for your product.
- Company fit
Improve the efficiency of your processes even further. Hire a Node.js developer who has previously worked in companies within your industry — they already know what type of client you are aiming for and what types of unique solutions your product may require.
- Company culture fit
Power up cooperation and innovation. Make sure the Node.js developer you hire shares similar values to your business and other team members to minimize conflict opportunities. Consider things like approach to remote work, preferred style of management, preferred work environment (startup vs. corporation) and any other issue you consider important.
Who else do you need to secure your product’s success?
With the back-end of your web product taken care of by Node.js experts, you can focus on developing other parts of your business. Power your front-end with the help of professional front-end developers and web designers, get more insights by investing in data scientists or improve your teams’ efficiency by involving a product owner or an IT project manager in the process.
Whoever you still need to assemble a full team of web experts, we can help you fill in the blanks. At Ideamotive, we maintain the industry-leading network of all types of IT professionals. After you get in touch with us, our experts will review your business profile closely, along with any unique requirements you have and connect you only with the experts who meet your needs.
Get in touch with us now today and build the next big thing on the web.
