Hiring NodeJs Developers- What You Need to Know

Developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009, Node.js is a JavaScript runtime framework which executes the JavaScript code outside of the client’s browser. It is used to create dynamic web pages that can run across various platforms. Node.js codes can also be used in the creation of server-side JavaScript applications.
Because Node.js has such a wide usability and its ability to create scalable, fast and efficient web applications, it has become quite famous over the years. This is the reason why many people look to hire professional Node.js developers.

According to a survey which was conducted, about 50% of the developers think that Node.js is the top programming language after JavaScript! Hence, if you are concerned about hiring the best Node.js developer, then you should first understand what Node.js is all about!

Node.js is an open-source framework which is based on the JavaScript language. Unlike traditional JavaScript pages, where the script is interpreted on the client’s browser after it arrives, Node.js code is first executed on the server-side and then rendered to the client’s side. It simplifies the real-time communication process between the client and the browser. Node.js also has an event-driven architecture because of which input and output processes can be conducted asynchronously.

Hiring Node.js Developers

Since Node.js is comparatively new to the market as compared to other programming languages, you’d find developers with only about 2-3 years of experience. This is why you need to be aware of the important skills that a Node.js developer should have. Here, we are going to discuss in details the essential skills that you need to look for while hiring Node.js developers!

1.Efficient Programming Skills

The first thing to look for in a developer, is his/her ability to generate basic codes for the most fundamental problems. A good code does not only give the correct output for the corresponding input, but is also readable, unambiguous, and economical.One of the major parts of working as a developer is that a group of people work together on a project or the codes written by a developer are needed to be edited by others to generate the perfect results that the organization seeks. Therefore, the developer that you hire must know how to write simple as well as effective codes.

2.Node.js Frameworks

Frameworks built using the primary principles and concepts of Node.js are coming to light recently. These frameworks help to improve, expand and extend the functionality of Node.js applications. It has become important to understand and learn the latest Node.js frameworks since they help in the development of creative innovations.
Some frameworks are built to support the Model View and Controller software architecture. Some of these popular MVC frameworks include Express, SailsJS, Meteor, Derby, Mojito and Total.js.
Other frameworks are built to support some specific project focuses. These frameworks prove to be very useful when your project incorporates features from their area of expertise. Some of these frameworks include-
● Reaction Commerce- Suitable to develop e-commerce websites.
● Wintersmith- Suitable for when your web application does not require any Application Programming Interface (API) to serve dynamic content.
There are other useful frameworks too which help make the Node.js web application more scalable like Hapi.js, Kraken.js, Mean.IO, Socket.IO, Koa.js and Flatiron.js.
The Node.js developer you hire must have knowledge about the all the important frameworks as they are the foundation of a great website!

3.Front-end Technologies

Development of any web application consists of working on the back-end, which includes all the functionalities and workings of the application and also the front-end, which includes the designing, feel and appearance of the website. While back-end technologies include Java, JSP, PHP, ASP.NET, VB.NET, etc., front-end technologies include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, VBScript, C# and many more.
If the Node.js developer has a good understanding and knowledge of the front-end technologies, then they can work more efficiently by taking the effects of the back-end code on the front-end code into consideration. This is important because it saves a lot of time which usually goes into re-designing your front-end or re-creating the back-end if the both do not turn out to be compatible.

4.RESTful APIs

An Application Programming Interface or an API, as the name suggests, is an interface which allows the smooth communication or interaction between two software components or applications. RESTful APIs are those APIs which follow the REST architecture. REST stands for Representational State Transfer, which is an architectural style that defines a set of parameters to be used for creating web services.
Applications build with Node.js frameworks make use of these RESTful APIs and every developer must know how to manage existing APIs as well as create custom APIs to support the company’s website.

5.Working With Databases

Almost every website that is created needs to be connected with a database to store many types of important information. Therefore Database Management is one of the most important tasks while working with Node.js. A few of the types of databases that are used with Node.js are Redis, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, SQLite, etc. The developer must be able to create database schemes that fulfill the requirements of the website and the company. The databases must able to store all types of data from various sources and work fluently with the application.

6.Asynchronous Programming

Asynchronous programming, also known as parallel programming, is where sub-treads in the main application work individually and simultaneously along with the main tread. These treads notify the main thread regarding their progress, completion or failure. It helps to make the application fast, responsive and improves its performance.
Both JavaScript and Node.js have an event-driven architecture, which makes them asynchronous in nature. Hence, the developer must know how work with and create asynchronous webpages for better functionality and responsiveness.

7.Working With Workflow Automation Tools

While working on big projects which include thousands upon thousands of code lines, automation tools prove to be extremely useful for developers. The automation tools help to reduce the number of human errors which commonly occur while writing codes and also helps to save a lot of time. Two such workflow automation tools are Gulp and Grunt. This is an add-on skill that most advanced-level developers have. Therefore, any developer that you hire must know how to use these tools to work more efficiently and effectively.

8.User Validation and Authorization

Since web applications require interaction with multiple systems, servers and other applications, conducting user validation and authorization are very essential, especially while dealing with sensitive data.
The Node.js developer must have good knowledge of how to apply these security measure in the web application. This ensures that your website is highly secure and trustworthy.

Apart from these important Node.js skills, the developer that you hire must be creative, have good analytical and conceptualization skills. If the developer has previously worked with Node.js in production environments, then that is also one great advantage.

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