Android developers are the force that continues to break through the mobile technology landscape. But what is an Android developer and how can you identify a good one from the rest?
Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, and YouTube are some of today’s most popular platforms. That is because you can easily use them on your mobile phones. A few clicks can help you find the nearest Italian restaurant. Or, you can listen to your favorite podcast while you are on a jog. Android developers are a big part of building these applications.
Developing applications for Android is becoming a booming trend. With that trend comes the rising demand for Android developers. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 22% growth in the employment of software talents, including Android developers.
However, not all Android developers have the same experience and skill level. They should also have enough technical and non-technical skills to create a robust mobile application.
What is an Android Developer?
An Android developer is someone who designs and develops applications for the Android operating system. They specialize in creating robust and high-quality applications for Android-based devices. However, it is not that simple.
Android varies from different devices. It is unlike iOS, which is exclusively for iPhones. An Android developer should keep extra attention to the application’s compatibility with all Android devices. It may be a smartphone, tablet PC, e-book reader, or any device that runs on Android OS.
The tasks and responsibilities of an Android developer vary from company to company. But we made a list of the most common duties that Android developers take on:
- Design interactive user interfaces (UI) for the android platform
- Maintain and design reusable as well as high performing code
- Test, troubleshoot, and fix any identified bugs within the application
- Always keep up to date with the new development tools
- Should work on different APIs
- Prioritize user requirements in development
- Work with different departments like the product development, user experience, and other teams to come up with new features that users would want
- Constantly monitor application reviews so that you can quickly spot areas that you can improve
Aside from these, technical knowledge is essential for a developer. To choose an Android developer in your company, they need to be an expert in these languages:
- Kotlin
- Java
- C++
- C#
- JavaScript
What Makes a Good Android Developer?
In hiring an Android developer for your company, you need someone with the right skills, work ethic, and experience. But this can be a problem if you are not well-versed in technology.
Fortunately, we can help you by giving pointers on finding a good Android developer. You can’t simply forego this section and skip to hiring the first candidate you get. Remember, hiring an excellent Android developer is twice as efficient as a regular developer. So keep in mind the following factors:
- Extensive knowledge of Android Studio. Android Studio is a known development environment for Android applications. This is the powerful and fastest tool for building Android applications for any Android OS device.
- Understanding of the Android SDK and the various Android versions. The Android SDK (Software Development Kit) is a set of Java code modules that allow developers to access mobile device functions such as the camera and accelerometer.
- Familiarity with various APIs. The candidate should have a perfect understanding of various APIs to connect Android applications to back-end services
