The most recent projections say that the number of smartphone users may very soon reach 4 billion people. As more than 50% of internet traffic now comes from mobiles, it’s clear that phones and tablets are more commonly used than desktop PCs and laptops. In fact, according to one report, by 2025 nearly three-quarters of all internet users will access websites solely using their phones.
This means one thing — if your business is not yet on mobiles, it’s now or never. And the easiest and most cost-effective way to release a mobile app is by using cross-platform development tools like Xamarin.
Why choose Xamarin and cross-platform development?
When you want to develop a mobile app for your business, there are two major ways to do so — you either use native technology or choose cross-platform development tools, such as Xamarin. What are the advantages of choosing the second option?
- You develop the Android and iOS versions of the app simultaneously, using the same technology. Choosing Xamarin allows sharing huge chunks of code between the two versions, speeding up the development process and allowing you to cut costs.
- Because of the above, you also don’t need to hire separate experts to develop two builds of your app. Instead of Swift (iOS) and Kotlin (Android) developers, you will do well with just hiring Xamarin developers.
- With Xamarin, you can develop apps that look native-like without compromises.
- Your Xamarin developers can speed up the development process significantly by utilizing ready-to-go templates provided by Xamarin.
- With Xamarin, you can also build Windows 10 apps, boosting up your digital presence even further.
There are a few different cross-platform development solutions but Xamarin is one of the most popular ones on the market. According to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, Xamarin is used by approximately 6% of developers, and it’s also one of the top 15 frameworks that developers want to work with.
As the interest in Xamarin development is growing, how can you make sure to hire Xamarin developers who are truly knowledgeable in the technology and will deliver amazing results fast? We cover all the things you need to know below.
Setting benchmarks with the right hard skills
Xamarin development is a highly specialized field that requires specific types of skills and knowledge. We list the most important ones below.
- Proficiency in C#
C# (pronounced as C sharp) is the main programming language used in Xamarin development. Not to be mistaken with C or C++.
- Experience with Xamarin.Forms (and XAML)
Official Xamarin framework for creating stunning, native-like UIs. It utilizes C# and XAML — special markup language based on XML.
- Experience with the .NET platform
.NET serves as a set of libraries and tools built and maintained by Microsoft. It’s a vital part of Xamarin toolstack so extensive experience with the platform is necessary for delivering truly amazing cross-platform apps.
- Understanding of native technologies
While a Xamarin developer won’t necessarily be using Swift or Kotlin to develop mobile apps, some knowledge of the native technologies is helpful as it broadens the developer’s perspective.
- Understanding of mobile design best practices
Mobile app development is highly focused on the front-end. Even if you are planning to invest in a mobile app designer, your Xamarin developer will still need to implement the given design so it looks great on every possible device. Because of this, knowledge of mobile design best practices, including an understanding of UI and UX design, is crucial for a Xamarin developer.
The most important soft skills for Xamarin developers
But when you hire Xamarin developers, don’t forget about the soft skills either. A specific set of these can highly influence how your new hire will approach the product and in what direction the app will go.
For the best results, hire Xamarin developers with the following soft skills:
- Expert time management
To perfectly lay out own day plan and smoothly transition between different duties.
- Creativity
To be able to brainstorm with the designers on the best approach to the app’s UI and UX.
- Researcher attitude
To know where to look for solutions when an unexpected issue happens.
- User empathy
To build the mobile app always with your target customer in mind.
What questions to ask when you hire Xamarin developers?
One of the best ways to assess whether your candidate has the skills they claim to have is to run a technical interview with them. For the most accurate results, such an interview should be run with assistance from another person experienced in Xamarin, such as another Xamarin developer, a software consultant, or an IT project manager.
What technical questions can be asked when you hire Xamarin developers?
- MVVMCross vs MVVM Light — what are the differences?
- What are Effects in Xamarin? Give some examples.
- What is the difference between an interface and an abstract class in C#?
- What is the Entity Framework? How can it be utilized in Xamarin development?
- What is polymorphism?
- Can a constructor be private in C#?
- When would you use CLR locks?
- MVC vs MVVM — what are the differences?
- What is a delegate in .NET?
- What are the binding modes supported by WPF?
Hire Xamarin developers who truly fit your business
Even when your candidate ticks all the skills checkboxes, don’t forget about considering also the company fit. By finding a Xamarin developer who is not only an expert in their field but also an individual matching your unique business, your product might end up being even more groundbreaking and successful.
Consider the following three main areas of the company fit:
- Product fit
Yes, you are building a mobile app — but what kind of app exactly? Hire Xamarin developers who already built mobile solutions similar to the ones you require for the most efficient workflow.
- Industry fit
Leverage the right knowledge and overcome your competitors. Hire Xamarin develops with previous experience in your business niche — they will already understand the needs of your target customer and help you pick the right path for your app.
- Company culture fit
Boost cooperation and innovation across all your teams. Find Xamarin developers who truly fit to other individuals in the business by taking into consideration the main values that drive your business, such as the style of management, type of work environment (startup vs corporate), or focus on diverse teams.
When to hire remote Xamarin developers?
As we’ve proved in the previous sections, Xamarin development requires specialized knowledge and skillset that might be difficult to find in some local markets. But even if you are having trouble finding Xamarin developers for hire in your area, it doesn’t mean you have to let go of all the advantages that the framework gives.
We highly recommend you to consider hiring remote Xamarin developers due to a few important reasons:
- You have access to a virtually limitless pool of Xamarin developers from all around the world.
- You can hire Xamarin developers who are considered top of the top, even if they are based on the other side of the globe.
- You can better optimize your budget by hiring Xamarin developers from regions like Central and Eastern Europe — they are not only considered to be the best developers in the world, but their salary requirements are also lower than those of developers from Western countries.
- Should you choose to hire multiple Xamarin developers, you can find experts in different timezones to provide smooth 24/7 technical support for your product.
Who else will you need in your Xamarin development team?
But the success of your mobile app is an effect of more than just its technical superiority. To make sure your products end up on the top of App Store’s and Google Play’s rankings, consider hiring more experts for your Xamarin development team. Create a beautiful and user-friendly design with the help of mobile designers, ensure innovation by investing in an experienced Product Owner, and learn more about your customers by onboarding data scientists.
To hire all these experts fast, get in touch with Ideamotive. We run an industry-leading network of IT professionals, giving you access to the most talented individuals of each profession. Contact our team today and we’ll connect you with experts that match all your unique requirements.
