Being one of the most popular web development technologies, Ruby on Rails comes to the attention of many who wish to change their career paths and become coders. As the market is getting more and more crowded, it’s important to always try to find professional Ruby on Rails developers with proper experience and skills.
With this mind, we decided to prepare a short guide on how to hire Ruby on Rails developers who will fit your company and/or project perfectly.
How to find Ruby on Rails developers with the proper skills
The most important hard/tech skills a good Ruby on Rails developer should have include:
- Focus on clean code
Although Ruby on Rails somewhat forces a web developer to write clean code, inexperienced developers can still write messy scripts. To keep your website or web app bug-free and easy to update, remember to hire a Ruby on Rails developer who understands the importance of keeping code well-organized.
- Testing
Knowledge of how to properly test code is very important. When it comes to Ruby on Rails, the most commonly used tool for testing is RSpec, so make sure your new hire knows how to use it.
- Good knowledge of JavaScript
To make web software perform well, knowing just Ruby isn’t enough. Make sure the developer you hire has also a good understanding of JavaScript (as well as, of course, HTML and CSS), including the popular JS frameworks and libraries (jQuery, Angular, Vue, React).
- The ability to work on the server-side of software
Writing website software is one thing, but launching it to the broad public is another. With so many companies using Ruby on Rails on the back-end of their sites or web apps, it’s important for your new web developer hire to know how to work with servers.
Essential Hard Skills for Ruby on Rails Developers
When it comes to building robust and scalable web applications, Ruby on Rails (RoR) has emerged as a popular choice. To harness the full power of this framework, it's crucial to hire Ruby on Rails developers equipped with the right hard skills. These hard skills form the foundation for developing high-quality applications that meet your business needs.
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Proficiency in Ruby Language: A solid understanding of the Ruby programming language is fundamental for any RoR developer. Knowledge of Ruby's syntax, object-oriented principles, and core libraries enables developers to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code.
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Expertise in Ruby on Rails Framework: In addition to Ruby, proficiency in the Ruby on Rails framework is essential. Experienced developers should be well-versed in the key components of RoR, including models, views, controllers, routing, and database integration. This expertise allows for efficient application development, data management, and seamless integration of various functionalities.
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Database Management: A strong grasp of database concepts and experience with database management systems (such as MySQL or PostgreSQL) is vital for RoR developers. This includes designing database schemas, writing efficient database queries, and optimizing database performance.
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Front-End Development Skills: While RoR is primarily a back-end framework, a well-rounded RoR developer should also possess front-end development skills. Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript enables developers to create dynamic and visually appealing user interfaces, ensuring a seamless user experience.
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Testing and Debugging: Thorough knowledge of testing frameworks like RSpec or Cucumber is essential to ensure the quality and reliability of RoR applications. Proficient developers understand the importance of unit testing, integration testing, and behavior-driven development to catch and resolve issues early on.
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Version Control: Proficiency in using version control systems like Git allows RoR developers to collaborate effectively, track changes, and manage code repositories. Understanding branching, merging, and resolving conflicts is crucial for seamless team collaboration.
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Security Awareness: Security is a paramount concern in web application development. Skilled RoR developers understand common web vulnerabilities, implement secure coding practices, and apply appropriate security measures to protect applications and user data.
By hiring Ruby on Rails developers with these hard skills, you can ensure the successful execution of your web application projects. Their expertise in Ruby, RoR, database management, front-end development, testing, version control, and security will pave the way for robust, scalable, and efficient applications.
Beyond Ruby on Rails development - the soft skills
With web projects no longer being limited to simple websites, but rather highly complicated software, web development now requires proper teamwork and isn’t necessarily a good job for loners. Even if you are just launching your startup and don’t plan to hire dozens of people at the moment, it’s important to get ready for what future may bring and fill your team with Ruby on Rails web developers who can work well with others.
The list of soft skills your new dev should have include:
- “Resource hunter” approach
To speed up the process of web development, the ability to quickly research what the internet says about the current problem is crucial — especially when it comes to Ruby on Rails, as looking for Gems is a typical part of a RoR web developer’s job. Therefore, your new hire should know where the Rails community discusses and shares their knowledge with others.
- Responsibility and accountability
This covers a few things, most importantly being able to admit one’s mistake and learn from it, as well as striving to always improve one’s work and write bug-free sites and apps. When teamwork comes into play, the former is especially important, as blaming others and trying to escape the responsibility might lead to a dangerous atmosphere within the team.
- Expert time management
When it comes to web development, priorities may change in a matter of hours. While constant work on upgrades and updates for the product are important, sometimes a bug or other issue may pop up forcing developers to put other tasks aside to focus on solving this specific problem.
The importance of a company fit
When you look at the CV sent to you by a Ruby on Rails developer, you should not just look at how long they have been in the industry and on how many projects they have worked. It’s also important to consider how these past projects fit your company and what you want to achieve.
Most importantly, look for Ruby on Rails developers who have already worked on websites or web apps similar to yours. There are a number of devs who focus on specific industries or types of web software, be it e-commerce, fintech, travel apps or others.
But the company fit doesn’t end there. You might also want to consider the size of your company. If you are running a rather fresh startup, you may prefer an expert who can lead the technological side of your project by themselves. Enterprises, on the other hand, can often hire someone less experienced to be trained by their in-house team.
What questions to ask while interviewing Ruby on Rails developers
Interviewing Ruby on Rails developers might be a complicated task, as part of the process should include technical questions that will give you an idea of their understanding of the technology. Because of this, we highly encourage you to have an experienced dev who will help you out during the interview process. Alternatively, you can choose an IT Project Manager with experience in Ruby on Rails projects.
To get you ready for what’s coming, here are some sample questions that might be asked during the interview:
- Give examples of a few Gems that might be useful for our project.
Gems are small scripts that cover very specific functionalities for an app (e.g., payment processing, log-in systems, e-commerce), allowing developers to quickly implement additional features in your app. An experienced Ruby on Rails developer surely has a few favorites, or at least knows what to look for and where to find it.
- What are the new features in Rails 6? What new features would you like to see in the next version of Rails?
The most recent version of the framework, Ruby on Rails 6.0, was released in June 2019 and introduced a few new features, including support for multiple databases, parallel testing, Action Mailbox, Action Text and more. Knowledge and understanding of these confirm whether the RoR developer you want to hire follows what’s happening in regards to the framework.
- What is a code smell and how do you look for one when working in Rails?
A code smell is a characteristic of code that suggests there is something wrong with the code. Code smell varies depending on the programming language, but also in other aspects, including criteria set by developers. When it comes to RoR, code smell may include dead code (code that is not being actually used by the software), repetitions, long classes and others.
Ruby on Rails developers often use a code smell detector when working on projects. One of the most popular ones is Reek.
Even more technical Ruby on Rails-specific interview questions can be:
- What’s the difference between false and nil in Ruby?
- What’s Rails Migration? What can you do with it?
- What is a mixin? How can you make use of it?
- What’s Rake? What is it used for in Rails?
- What’s scaffolding used for in Rails?
Salaries of Ruby on Rails developers
If you wish to cut your costs, you can also consider hiring a freelance Ruby on Rails developer from a country where the cost of living is lower. We especially recommend having a look at Central Europe, including countries like Poland, Ukraine and Romania. The region is full of very experienced and world-renowned coders who, thanks to being based in an area with a relatively low cost of living, can be hired for much less than developers from Western Europe or the United States.
Filling your team with innovators
Even the most experienced Ruby on Rails developer won’t be able to run the project by themselves. To build a product that will bring true value to customers, you need to assemble a team of professionals from multiple fields: designers who will take care of the look and feel of your software, product owners and project managers who will watch over the whole process, and even data analytics experts who can review your users’ behavior.
To get these people on board fast, contact our team at Ideamotive. We built a pool of great talents from the IT world and we always get you in touch only with those who perfectly match your company and product.
