Cross-platform app development is currently one of the top trends in IT — it allows for speeding up the development process significantly by allowing the same team to work on both the iOS and Android versions of one app. One of the best tools for cross-platform mobile development, Flutter is a Google-developed and supported technology that, despite being announced only in 2017, has already managed to gain a huge number of followers.
According to the 2019 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, approximately 3.4 percent of developers worldwide use Flutter. That might not feel like much at first sight, but it’s enough to already beat some more mature technologies. And it seems the popularity of Flutter will only grow — in the same survey, the framework ranked as the 3rd most loved technology (higher than its direct competitor, React Native) and as the 6th most wanted technology.
One of the reasons why Flutter is so loved by developers is the ease of making an app with it. Of course, it still requires knowledge of coding, but Flutter’s main programming language, Dart, is simpler than many others used for building mobile apps.
This makes the technology good for lots of beginners who want to become mobile app developers. For you, it means the market is slowly being filled with Flutter developers who are not experienced enough to handle really complex projects.
So how can you hire Flutter app developers who will really get the job done? Read along to find out about all the things you need to consider.
The most important hard skills for Flutter developers
To make sure you hire a Flutter developer who will swiftly deliver the results you want to achieve, you should focus on looking for people with a specific set of hard technical skills. What are the most important of these skills?
- Proficiency in the Dart programming language
Just like Flutter, Dart was created by developers at Google. The programming language can be used for different kinds of projects, including even desktop apps. However, most Dart developers focus on mobile app development with Flutter.
- Real-life experience with Flutter
Flutter expands some features of Dart and makes cross-platform mobile app development faster thanks to the multiple widgets available. It’s crucial for Flutter developers to already have experience with the most important widgets (such as MaterialApp, SafeArea, ClipRRect) so the whole project can go smoothly.
- Understanding of mobile design best practices
Flutter developers are often half-coders, half-designers, responsible for an app's interface. Because of this, it’s crucial for them to have a good understanding of all the best design practices, with a special focus on current mobile trends. For example, with the Cupertino Flutter widgets, Apple-style apps can be built, but they might feel clunky if the developer is not aware of the best ways to approach mobile design for iOS devices.
The importance of soft skills for Flutter developers
If you want to make sure you hire Flutter developers who are really the best, you should not only look at their technical abilities, but also their soft skills. These often make not only the work of Flutter developers themselves more efficient, but can also help improve teamwork and collaboration within the whole company.
So what soft skills you should look for in your Flutter developer candidates?
- The attitude of a researcher
The Flutter community is still young, meaning new solutions and innovations are revealed on an almost daily basis. However, they sometimes go unnoticed, being posted on low-key forums and subreddits. If your Flutter developers are active in the community and know where to look for information, they can bring the innovations that will become a standard in a few years to your project.
- Being approachable
A great-looking and successful mobile app is usually a collaborative effort by multiple different people, including designers, data scientists, project managers, and, of course, Flutter developers. It’s therefore crucial for your new hire to be able to communicate well with the rest of the team — even the people who might not be that tech-savvy.
- Understanding of the client
Looking at a product from the customer’s perspective might not be easy, but is crucial to great app development. There is no other way to create an intuitive, user-friendly interface for an app than putting yourself in the shoes of a person who is not necessarily a tech expert.
Top job interview questions for Flutter developers
One of the best ways to assess all the above skills of a Flutter developer is to run a technical interview. It should be a mix of questions related to Dart, mobile app design and Flutter itself so if you don’t feel confident in the topics yourself, you might want to ask for help from another mobile app developer with experience in Flutter, a software consultant or an IT project manager.
Below, we’ve listed down some of our favorite job interview questions to ask Flutter developers.
- What’s typedef used for in Dart?
- How would you approach implementing a QR reader in a Flutter-based app?
- What are your go-to Flutter widgets when starting a new project?
- What’s the singleton pattern? How do you build it in Dart?
- What is the difference between stateless and stateful Flutter widgets?
- Hot restart vs. hot reload — what is the difference between the two?
- What are Dart’s null-aware operations used for?
- What is the hamburger menu concept in mobile app design? What are some alternatives to it?
- What are some ways of improving the user experience of an app while keeping the interface as it is?
- How would you approach adding AR (augmented reality) features in a Flutter-based app?
The power of company fit
You can strengthen the effect Flutter developers have on your whole project even more by focusing on finding those who match your company in the best way possible. What should be considered when looking for the perfect fit?
- Industry fit
If possible, try to hire a Flutter developer who has already worked on some projects related to your industry. Such experience means this developer already understands your target groups and what works best for them.
- Product fit
Look for Flutter developers with experience in projects similar to yours. The app they previously developed doesn’t have to literally be the same as yours — look for similarities, for example, in terms of specific functionalities you want to implement in your app.
- Company culture fit
Employees and management sharing the same values improve the overall teamwork and innovation. Keep this in mind when hiring a Flutter developer.
Why hire a remote Flutter developer?
As the number of professional Flutter developers is still relatively small, you might not find one available in your city. Fortunately, many experts are happy to work remotely — and there are good reasons to use their services.
According to studies, developers often find themselves more productive when able to work remotely and are more motivated to work. Hiring remote Flutter developers also means a more effective use of funds as you don’t need to prepare an office space and additional hardware for them.
Enhance the mobile experience
Flutter developers can be the backbone of the technical part of your project, but you will also need other experts to make your mobile app successful. App designer, UX designers, product owners, IT project managers, data scientists — together, they can get you the results you want.
How can you hire these experts quickly? Reach out to our professional consultants. At Ideamotive, we run an industry-leading network of top IT talents from all around the world looking for new work opportunities. After you get in touch with us, we will connect you with a tailored selection of professionals based on multiple factors, like your company’s industry, type of product and any special requirements you might have.
Schedule a consultation with us today and start building your dream team.
