What is Drupal and Who is a Drupal Developer
Drupal is a content management system (CMS) that offers developers tools to create and maintain websites. Further, it is an open-source platform that provides flexibility and scalability. Businesses may use the CMS to scale as per their needs.
A Drupal developer builds websites that are based on the Drupal platform. Developers may also use the platform to build web applications such as an e-commerce platform.
How to Hire Drupal Developer
A business may hire Drupal developer after considering a combination of technical skills and experience. A Drupal developer would need to have a knowledge of languages like JavaScript and its frameworks such as React or Angular.
Working knowledge of markup languages like HTML and a style sheet language like CSS is also useful. Further, the Drupal developer needs to be creative. To hire Drupal developer, you would also need to have a clear idea of their roles and responsibilities. You would need to shortlist candidates after you post a vacancy and interact with them before you make a hire.
Things to Consider Before You Hire Drupal Developer
The first step you should take is to understand the scope of the project. Is it a community page, web application, mobile app or website you are looking to build for clients? Once you are clear about the scope of the project, hire according to your business needs. For example, a developer wishing to build an iOS app on Drupal needs to know Swift or Objective-C. These are languages used for iOS application development. A developer of Android apps with Drupal may need to know Java, a programming language.
The next aspect to consider is the industries your clients belong to and their target audience. An end-user of a commerce solution is different from someone looking to engage with a sports team’s website. Understanding the client’s domain is an essential aspect before you hire Drupal developer.
Further, you would need to be aware of web development trends and see where Drupal fits in. Knowledge of Drupal’s features and upgrades is important. For example, Drupal has now come out with Drupal 9, its latest upgrade. Some web development trends include:
Mobile-first development: As mobile usage has boomed over the years, more people browse on mobile devices. In keeping with this, Drupal also enables back-end development for mobile applications.
Blockchain technology: Blockchain technology, which involves digital ledgers of transactions decentralised across a network, is a growing trend. Drupal offers modules for integration with Blockchain.
Progressive web apps: The trend of progressive web apps (PWA) has caught on because of the superior user experience it offers. A PWA offers an app-like experience through the web. Drupal enables building a PWA through its module.
Skills to Look for When You Hire Top Drupal Developer
It is important to look at the skills of the Drupal developer before you make a hire for your project. The skills include both hardcore technical skills and also soft skills. Soft skills may refer to the ability to present ideas well or communicate with the team or clients. When you hire top Drupal developer, these are the following skills you would need to keep an eye out for:
PHP & Frameworks
Hypertext preprocessor, known as PHP, is a scripting language aimed at web development. Knowledge of PHP and its frameworks like Symfony is a key aspect to look for when you hire top Drupal developer. This is because PHP has been used in Drupal development – Drupal 7 was built on PHP.
HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Drupal developer needs to have a working knowledge of markup language HTML and style sheet language CSS in order to build themes. JavaScript, a scripting language, is used to make a web page interactive.
Drupal Module
Drupal’s modules help developers include third-party tools and services on the site. Familiarity with installing these modules helps. Also, a knowledge of developing modules would be good to have. A module is a set of files that has some specific functionality. A Drupal module is written in PHP.
Steps to Hire Drupal Developer
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Write a clear job description with roles and responsibilities.
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Look at the resume to assess skill sets and experience.
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Ask relevant questions about the Drupal developer’s skills and level of expertise.
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Check if the developer has any certifications.
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Evaluate the candidate’s communication skills.
How to Hire Reliable and Experienced Drupal Developer
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Seek references from past employers and team members.
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Assess the ability of the developer to meet deadlines.
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Evaluate the developer’s quality of work from their work samples.
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Ask for case studies of a past project where the candidate resolved challenges.
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Learn about the creative abilities of the Drupal developer.
Begin the hiring process if you are satisfied with the candidate’s skill sets and abilities.
