Node.js is one of the most popular back-end technologies. It is an open-source runtime environment that is based on the JavaScript programming language.
Utilizing Node.js has been shown to reduce the loading time of applications by 50% to 60% with companies admiring its scalable, fast, and powerful characteristics.
This is creating an increasing demand for top Node.js Developers in the market.
To ensure you hire Node.js developers who align with your goals requires considering many factors for a successful collaboration.
In this article, we provide a guide on how to hire Node.js developers in 2023.
What Is a Node.js Developer?
A Node.js developer helps to write server-side web applications utilizing Node.js in JavaScript programming language.
Their main focus is on developing and maintaining all the back-end components.
As per Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey 2023, Node.js and React.js are the two most common web technologies used by developers.
Why Should You Consider Using Node.js Development?
Below we discuss the question you might be wondering ‘Why Use Node.js?”
- Scalable
Node.js applications have the feature of scaling the system horizontally by adding more nodes or vertically adding more resources to a single node. This is one major reason why projects that are projecting an exponential increase in traffic use Node.js as it can handle the needed increased capacity.
- High-Performance
The V8 engine developed by Google for their Chrome web browser enables Javascript code to run much more efficiently. Applications powered by Node.js can perform significantly better since it was developed utilizing this V8 engine.
- Active and Vibrant Community
New features and improvements are consistently made through active contributors of the Node.js community since the project is open source. Additionally, this large community is a go to resource for Node.js programmers when they come across problems and need help with them through guidance or documentation.
- Large Ecosystem
Along with the community, there is also the Node Package Manager (npm) which is one of the largest package repositories in the world.
This is full of free packages including different frameworks, packages and modules that pre-built solutions to avoid building everything from scratch.
For instance, if a Node.js programmer needs to create a user login and authentication system, they can look into the repository for a module called Passport.js.
- Microservices Architecture
Microservices architecture enables the development of larger and more complex applications to be broken down into smaller, independent services.
Through the use of JavaScript libraries, such microservices architecture can be built in Node.js too.
Say you are building a Delivery app, the application can be divided into components such as location routing, driver incentives, discount system, etc. Though they will be independent, they can communicate through API’s.
This makes the development process more efficient through continuous deployment and parallel development by multiple teams.
- Excellent for Data-Intensive Real-Time Applications (DIRT)
Node.js is known for its event-driven, non-blocking architecture which enables it to handle multiple users while maintaining great load time.
As a result, many Data-Intensive Real-Time Applications (DIRT) such as financial trading applications and airline reservation systems use Node.js.
- Real-Time Applications
Traditional server side technologies such as Apache had the limitation of resource exhaustion and slower response times when it faced high load. Node.js is able to concurrently handle tens of thousands of users at once.
This is why Node.js can be considered an important technology to make real time applications ubiquitous today.
There is a good chance that the different live chat, online gaming, or live streaming applications you view today have Node.js as part of their tech stack.
- Efficient Caching
Caching is what enables a website to load quicker after the first visit since the browser is accessing the data from a cache i.e. temporary storage area. This is more efficient than re-downloading them from the server.
Node.js module caching ensures that the pages of an application load faster and provide a seamless user experience.
- SEO Friendly
A common concern the commercial team has when their website is being designed is whether the website would be SEO friendly. Node.js has all the necessary modules and libraries to ensure websites are SEO-friendly.
For instance, Node.js has frameworks like Next.js through which Server-Side Rendering (SSR) can be done which is important to index website content.
- Compatibility with Various Tools
Compatibility is key to ensure that the best set of technologies and tools can be combined to provide the deliverable as per the project needs.
Node.js has very high compatibility with a large set of tools. This includes databases, front-end technologies, and cloud services. Furthermore, Node.js is also compatible with many IoT platforms and frameworks.
- Corporate Support
Among multiple supporters, IBM has been supporting Node.js by sponsoring their event called Node.js Interactive. Intel has contributed to better performance benchmarking for Node.js.
- Full Stack JavaScript
Since Node.js is written with JavaScript which is often used in the front-end, there can be full stack development without the need of switching languages.
The development process can witness fewer errors while reducing the development time.
- Easy to Learn
Developers can transition without a long learning curve towards Node.js if they have a good understanding of JavaScript.
Essential Skills A Node.js Developer Should Have
Database Management
Node.js engineers set up and configure the database system to ensure that the database is properly installed and secure.
Node.js developer skills in database management will also ensure that you can be assured that security measures are in place to protect the database.
With the growth in traffic in the application, Node.js developers will need to add more servers or work on distributing the load to scale the database.
Managing Errors
What separates top Node.js developers from the rest is that they are able to identify errors and fix them quickly.
It is inevitable that errors come up yet developers with excellent problem-solving skills will be able to find the cause and fix them.
Time Management
Project managers often consider cost overruns as a significant concern. Underestimating project delivery times by developers is a common factor contributing to these overruns.
It’s important to have Node.js developers who can provide accurate time estimations and have the discipline to execute their tasks within the agreed deadline.
Efficient, Readable, and Compliant Code
47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less.
Long and resource-intensive bloated code can lead to poor load times which is why efficient code is essential
Code also has to be readable and compliant so that team members will be able to work on the code with convenience.
Understanding of API
API’s help software to communicate with other software through requests and responses.
Since Node.js developers mostly work in the backend, they need to integrate third party services and functionalities.
For example, if you choose Node.js for microservices for your application, the developer will need to create custom API’s so that the microservices can communicate with each other.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Node.js Developer?
When it comes to hiring a skilled Node.js developer, understanding the cost dynamics is crucial. The Node.js development cost varies significantly based on factors like experience level and geographic location.
In countries such as the USA with higher costs of living, you can expect to pay $110,000 on average for a seasoned Node.js expert. Other regions with higher costs of living such as Australia and the UK follow with average salaries of $90,000 and $80,000 respectively.
The costs for hiring Node.js developers are comparatively lower in Western European countries such as France with the average being around $60,000 per year. These costs decrease further in Central European countries such as Poland, Romania or Ukraine to $35,000 to $85,000 per year.
These European countries have been gaining more popularity for software development as the costs are lower than in North America yet the quality standards are high along with a sound understanding of Western business culture.
How to Hire a Node.js Developer?
To ensure you choose top Node.js developers who will align with your needs, it is vital to pick the right model for hiring such experts. Below we discuss three major models you can choose among for hiring Node.js developers:
Freelancer
If you are looking to work with flexibility in your development project, freelancers are usually ready to work on a project basis. This helps to stay within your budget as well.
For example, the freelancer can be hired on a 3-month project where the deliverables are very clear and specific for a Node.js project.
Hiring freelancers provides a large pool of talent from around the world. But we should also be aware that since freelancers cater to multiple clients at the same time, you might encounter problems in coordination.
In-House
If you are looking for someone who can become a dedicated part of your development team then you find a Node.js developer to join in-house.
Their understanding and coordination with other team members can help to shorten time to market. It is also easier to correct any mistakes internally that come up ad hoc.
In many organizations around the world, we see how a team member has risen up through the ranks over the years and become an integral part of the organization’s success.
This is possible by having an in-house Node.js engineer.
Outsourcing
Companies especially those working in tech need to move fast and usually are constrained by time in finding the right person immediately.
The process of finding the right hire and screening them to see if they are a good fit might take up to a few weeks.
In the current competitive atmosphere, such a delay can be a loss to your competitive advantage. Partnering with third-party providers can lead to cost savings as these companies specialize in recruiting within a certain field.
Such companies usually specialize in solving these problems which is why companies seek their help to recruit quality talent fast.
Let RemoDevs Help You Hire Node.js Developers
At RemoDevs, we offer a pool of quality Node.js developers for your needs to maximize the chances of hiring the perfect candidate. In this process, we help you reduce the time to search and hire the ideal Node.js developer candidate.
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Founder and Chief Executive Officer at RemoDevs