Hire Kotlin Developers Effectively in 2024
Kotlin is a general-purpose, statically typed, free, and open-source programming language created to streamline the process of creating apps. Kotlin was initially designed for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) as well as Android.
The Kotlin programming language focuses on safety, interoperability with Java, tool support, and clarity. It frequently coexists with the programming language and was initially created to enhance Java's performance.
Many businesses that specialize in the development of mobile apps choose to employ Kotlin developers. It isn’t enough to want these developers to handle your project; it is important to know how to hire them effectively.
What to look for when hiring Kotlin developers
Hiring Kotlin developers might seem easy, but in order to hire dedicated Kotlin developers who would bring value to you and your company, there are certain things you must look out for.
Technical skills
Kotlin app developers must have expert knowledge and skill in both Kotlin and Java. They must have real-time experience in software development, Android app development, and app design. They must have expertise in object-oriented and functional programming paradigms.
A Kotlin developer must also be familiar with web frameworks like GWT, be familiar with Android Studio, and the Android SDK, and be proficient in Kotlin and Java programming languages.
Communication skills
Apart from possessing the right technical skills, Kotlin programmers must also possess good communication skills in order to have a seamless and professional relationship with whoever they work with.
When hiring a Kotlin developer, ensure they have the right communication skills- both listening and speaking. Communicating certain terms and requirements to other team members would require someone who knows how to talk to others respectfully and professionally.
Developers with Soft Skills
Beyond having the right technical skills and communication skills, a Kotlin developer must have the right soft skills in order to relate properly with team members and interdisciplinary teams within the company.
When hiring a Kotlin developer, ensure that they are proficient in various soft skills, like team management, time management, decision-making, and critical thinking. They must possess leadership skills as well as adaptability and creativity.
Developers with Experience
When hiring Kotlin developers, it is important to focus on the professional experience that they have gathered. In order to effectively hire the right developer, they must have garnered vast experience, which is needed to excel at the position that you are hiring them for.
Expert developers must have vast experience, and some essentials to look for when hiring Kotlin developers effectively are experience with Android app development, practical knowledge of software development, app design, SQL, XML, and Android APIs.
Understanding of XML and RESTful APIs
Kotlin developers need to have a solid understanding of MVC frameworks like Spring/Play, REST/RESTful web services, HTTP protocols, JSON, XML, and protocol buffers in order to deal with third-party integrations and connect the app with backend services
Top 5 Kotlin Developer Interview Questions
Conducting interviews is a way to gauge the experience and knowledge level of your prospective employees and is also a crucial step in the hiring process.The interview questions below are perfect to help you filter the best developers and are also suitable to ask both beginner and experienced Kotlin developers.
What is the entry point of a Kotlin program?
In every Kotlin program, the entry point is the main function. In Kotlin, there is the option to omit the main function from the class. The JVM implicitly encapsulates it in a class upon compilation. The command line arguments are retrieved using the strings given in the form of an Array<String>.
What do you know about the Kotlin backing field?
A backing field is one that is automatically generated for a property if it uses the default implementation of at least one accessor or if the field identifier inside a custom accessor is referenced.
A backing field is an automatically generated field that is specific to a property and can only be used inside accessors (getter or setter). The backing field is utilized to stop an accessor from making a recursive call that might result in a StackOverflowError.
Kotlin classes are not permitted to use fields. However, when using custom accessors, a backing field is occasionally required. With the help of the field identifier, one can access Kotlin's automatic backup field for these purposes.
What is the difference between async/await and launch/join in Kotlin?
Async/Await:
Await is used on the result, which is represented by an instance of deferred, while Async is used to begin or start a coroutine that determines a result. Uncaught exceptions are retained by async code in the resulting deferred and are not further propagated. Prior to execution, they are processed.
Launch/Join:
To fire and forget the coroutine, the Launch command is used. It is similar to starting a new thread. An uncaught exception in a thread, which is often written to stderr in backend JVM programs and can lead to the crash of Android applications, occurs if the thread inside the Launch throws an exception.
When a coroutine is launched or initiated, Join is used to wait for it to finish running so that it does not spread its exception.
What is null safety in Kotlin?
Kotlin's Null Safety feature aims to completely remove the possibility of a real-time NullPointerException. Null reference danger is eliminated from the code using the Kotlin null safety technique. If any null argument is given, the Kotlin compiler immediately throws a NullPointerException without executing any more instructions. The type system of Kotlin is designed to remove NullPointerException from the code.
In the context of Kotlin, what is the suspend function?
Suspend is a function that can be stopped and started while coding. A coroutine is suspended using this function for a predetermined amount of time without causing thread blocking, and it is then resumed.
