JavaScript rules the web. It’s hard to argue with this statement, since JavaScript is used almost everywhere on the internet. According to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey 2018, JavaScript is the most commonly used programming language. Nearly 70 percent of more than 78,000 respondents write their code in JavaScript.
What is more, JavaScript frameworks also run the show. The 2018 Developer Skills Report by HackerRank shows that JavaScript frameworks such as AngularJS, Node.js, and React have the largest gap between demand and supply. Despite the fact that there are already many developers specializing in these frameworks, the number of employers looking for experts in them is much larger.
Source: HackerRank
The chart also demonstrates that both the demand and the supply of Angular developers are higher than for any other framework. So let’s figure out why Angular is so popular and how to hire talented Angular developers for your project.
What Is Angular?
Angular is one of the hottest open-source JavaScript frameworks. Maintained by Google, Angular is used for building compelling web applications with rich features sets. It does a great job making JavaScript code much simpler and well-structured.
Also, it is used for developing mobile and desktop applications. For instance, Ionic, a powerful platform for developing cross-platform mobile apps, is built on top of Angular.
The Angular team at Google has launched several versions of the framework since 2009. AngularJS, the first version, was designed for building dynamic single page apps. Usually, the term “Angular” is applied to Angular 2 and all the following releases.
Angular is not just an update but a total rewrite from AngularJS. It brings in brand-new features such as component architecture, different expression syntax, modularity, TypeScript language, dynamic loading, and many others.
Many renowned web applications, including Eat24, Radio.com, Udacity, Freelancer, Crunchbase, NBA.com, Google Express, and others, are built with Angular. With so many products built with Angular and strong support from Google, it is obvious that the framework’s popularity will not decrease. According to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey 2018, Angular is the second most commonly used front-end framework among developers.
Source: Stack Overflow
Advantages of the Angular Framework
Of course, there are reasons behind the immense popularity of the Angular framework. So which benefits does the framework offer development teams?
- TypeScript usage. Although Angular is considered a JavaScript framework, it is based on TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript. The code written in TypeScript easily compiles to JavaScript. When compared to JavaScript, a strong advantage of TypeScript is error identification while typing the code, which enables developers to fix mistakes right away.
- Stability. All the versions of the framework, starting from Angular 2, are backward compatible. This means you can upgrade your project to a new Angular version without changing the codebase. In addition, Angular is powered by Google, which adds more to the stability of the framework.
- Modularity. An Angular application is organized in modules. This means the code consists of separate modules responsible for different functions. You can use the modules from a standard Angular package, write your own, or integrate the ready-made components developed by the Angular community. Also, this structure allows “lazy loading,” which loads only the required features and optimizes the application.
- Code consistency. The component-based nature of Angular applications keeps the codebase organized and easier to maintain. The components are highly reusable and much more readable for engineers who are not familiar with the code.
- Easy testing. The modular system also makes testing simpler, as separate components are easier to test. Additionally, there are different Angular testing technologies. For instance, Protractor is effective for end-to-end testing, and Karma is good for unit testing.
- Cross-platform. You can use Angular for developing different applications such as web, native, and mobile apps. Moreover, Angular allows creating progressive web apps—web applications that load like webpages but provide extra functionality that is usually offered only by native mobile applications.
- Community. Angular framework is extremely popular among developers and has a big community. You can find many Angular communities on the web (Stack Overflow, Gitter, LinkedIn groups, Slack channels, etc.) and Angular conferences happening worldwide. This facilitates knowledge sharing and the development of the framework.
How To Hire Angular Developers
First of all, when hiring Angular developers, you have to communicate your idea properly so your potential employees realize what you want from them. They should understand your vision and the challenges they may face working on your project.
Also, you have to make it clear if there is a place for initiative and generating new and creative solutions. If you have precise requirements about what has to be done, then you need to let your potential team members know and check whether your candidates will be able to meet them.
However, if you are open to some new ideas from the tech experts, then your potential employees have to be aware of it. It often happens that developers are eager to suggest new solutions rather than just perform the tasks given.
When looking for a skillful Angular developer, it is vital to check their resume, portfolio, and references from clients and previous employers. Of course, the developer’s experience is crucial since working on similar or bigger projects will help improve the quality of your product. The technical requirements depend on the complexity of tasks and the professional level of your Angular engineers (more demanding of the senior than the junior ones).
What to Look for in an Angular Developer:
What to Look for in an Angular Developer:- Knowledge of Core JavaScipt. Nowadays, you can find many single-framework developers. However, specializing only in your framework is not enough. It does not matter whether you hire an Angular, React, or Vue.js engineer—this person should know the JavaScript language at its core.
- Deep knowledge of the Angular framework. It goes without saying that your Angular developer has to be the master of this framework. As the framework is regularly updated and new versions are released, it is important to keep up the knowledge and skills.
- Excellent knowledge of web markup, HTML, and CSS. A developer experienced in web markup will have a solid understanding of the positioning of the elements, UX concepts, and elements interaction. Such knowledge is very important for delivering a high-quality project.
- Experience with RESTful API integration. A RESTful API (application program interface) uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE data. To be able to read the API documentation and use it effectively, a developer needs to be experienced in REST APIs.
- Knowledge of adjacent technologies such as Node and Webpack. These technologies supplement the framework, making the development process easier and more effective. If you are looking for middle+ engineers, you should include them in your requirements.
- Attention to detail. Your developers should be extremely attentive to details in order to write a high-quality code and be able to immediately identify the mistakes.
- Good communication skills. You need your Angular developers to be able to explain what is going on to be sure you are on the same page. If you hire an Angular engineering team, you can have a project manager or a delivery manager on their side for effective collaboration. The role of a delivery manager is to drive the working process, ask the right questions, and get the right answers.
If there is a shortage of highly skilled Angular developers in your region, you can try to outsource your JavaScript development to a third-party vendor. Here you can find a list of questions to ask your software developers if you plan to establish long-lasting cooperation with an offshore software development team.
Get Results With Angular
JavaScript is a multifaceted language used for everything—the front end, back end, and mobile and browser extensions. Without any doubt, Angular is one of the most powerful JavaScript frameworks. This framework has a solid list of advantages and has tremendous support from Google and its strong community of developers.
If you want to hire talented Angular developers, you should do thorough research and preparation—from examining engineers’ resumes and experience to setting out the right requirements. Eventually, It is important to understand that you need not only highly skilled experts but also a strong development team able to collaborate effectively and deliver the best results.