Hiring a Drupal Developer

Introduction

For companies and individuals looking for a Drupal Developer, we have put together an easy-to-follow guide that will make the process as smooth as possible.

When you hire a Drupal developer, how do you know the person you’re bringing onboard will be able to successfully deliver your project? How do you know they’ll be able to build the type of website that you need? And how do you make sure that the developer will actually be a good fit for your company’s culture and needs? In this guide, we’ll look at what goes into hiring a Drupal developer—from how to start your search to assessing whether or not they have the right skills.

This blog post covers the following information:

Information about Drupal Developers
Work Expertise of Drupal Developers
Hiring a Drupal Developer
Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Drupal Developer

Information About Drupal Developers

Drupal developers are an integral part of the Drupal community. There are many different types of Drupal developers, each focusing on a different area of the software. The most common types of Drupal developers are front-end and back-end developers, who build sites and applications that run on top of the CMS.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is a free, open-source content management system that allows users to build entire websites or sections of websites by themselves. It can be used for simple blogs or complex corporate sites, and it makes up a large percentage of the web today.

The Drupal platform can be installed on most modern web servers to provide every feature a typical intranet or internet community requires: content management, discussion forums, user profiles and permissions, taxonomies/metadata, blogs, RSS feeds, and more.

The entire CMS system is written in PHP and distributed under the open-source GNU license, which allows it to be freely used, copied, distributed, modified, and redistributed. It runs on a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) software stack.

Who are Drupal Developers?

Drupal developers are a kind of software developers who focus on developing for Drupal, a free and open-source content management system. A single developer is likely to have experience in a wide variety of systems, including content management, e-commerce, and search engine optimization.

They may even dabble in areas like design and project management. There are many different paths towards becoming a Drupal developer, but they almost always require a background in programming languages like PHP and MySQL.

Drupal developers are skilled programmers who build and maintain websites using Drupal based CMS.

They’re the ones who keep your Drupal website safe, secure, and responsive.
They make sure your Drupal website is easy to use and works across all devices and browsers.
They tailor your Drupal site to your needs, making it unique to your brand so that it reflects well on you and what you have to offer.
They might also help you customize the look and feel of your website, integrate with other applications, or even add new features that weren’t originally part of the core software.
Drupal developers must be able to work with a wide variety of programming languages, including PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
The developer also needs to learn Drupal’s unique coding language that controls how the user interacts with the site. This includes how content gets displayed as well as how it is edited.

How Do Drupal Developers Work?

Drupal developers work in a variety of contexts, but they tend to fall into a few general categories:

Drupal is open source and free, so anyone can run and modify the code. However, many Drupal developers are hired to make changes to the existing code, which is used by clients without direct access to the source code. These developers may be employed by a company or organization that needs the website to incorporate certain features.

Other Drupal developers create sites for individuals or organizations with specific needs, like online stores.

The third group of Drupal developers works for agencies that sell their services to web development companies in Boston and around the globe. These developers typically work remotely in a freelance capacity.

If they work as part of an agency, they may have many clients, working on different projects simultaneously. They may also work long hours while attending events and training sessions related to Drupal technology. Most spend some time outside of normal business hours working on client projects and other tasks associated with their profession.

Drupal developers can work in the following ways:

Building websites from scratch
Doing simple or complex repairs on existing sites
Adding new features to their clients’ sites

Work Expertise of Drupal Developers

Drupal developers build websites that are both functional and beautiful. They give you the tools to build a great website, with powerful and flexible functions, design frameworks, and a content management system that allows the easy modification of your site’s content. A good Drupal developer will help you create a website that is accessible to all types of users, regardless of disabilities, browsers, or other technical issues.

The Working Styles of Drupal Developers

Every Drupal developer has their own style of working. However, there are some common approaches to developing with Drupal.

Some developers work in an agile environment, where they first create an MVP (minimum viable product) and then release it early and often. This allows them to test their ideas quickly, and make adjustments as needed.

This method differs from Agile development, where the emphasis is on producing the best possible product, within a set period of time. In this case, all features are fully fleshed out, with refactoring done as needed after the initial launch.

Some Drupal developers like to use version control systems like Git or SVN to keep track of changes they make to code or content.

Other developers believe in ad-hoc editing and saving multiple versions of files in different folders, while others like to keep everything stored in one folder and create backups periodically. Some developers back up frequently, others wait until the end of a project before backing up their files.

The Work Areas of a Drupal Developer

Drupal developers work in different areas of the Drupal framework, including:

1). Core PHP and PHP frameworks

Drupal is written in PHP, and its core frameworks make up the basic structure for the entire application. Drupal developers who specialize in this area can edit its code to ensure that it works smoothly and properly.

A Drupal developer must have a working knowledge of PHP, PHP frameworks (such as Symfony), and Drupal’s own coding standards. A major part of this role is developing custom modules for clients’ Drupal sites, and contributing to larger projects like Drupal 8.

2). Core JavaScript

JavaScript is used to make functionalities within Drupal’s front-end user interface run smoothly. Core JavaScript consists of scripts that react to different events and processes, such as a user loading a page or clicking on a specific element.

3). Drupal Modules

Drupal modules are individual extensions that can be added to or removed from an existing project. They are commonly used by website owners and companies to create custom applications based on Drupal’s underlying framework. Each module contains specific code that allows it to interact with Drupal’s systems.

4). Drupal Themes

A theme is what makes up a website’s visual presentation, so a Drupal theme developer is responsible for creating new website designs for clients using the framework.

5). Front End Languages

A Drupal developer’s day consists of writing code in front-end languages, such as JavaScript and jQuery. While they are writing the code, they are also reviewing the current state of their project’s DOM or Document Object Model. The DOM is a tree-structure diagram of all the elements in a web page, and it is used to show how those elements relate to each other and how the whole page relates to each element. They also use Ajax functions to create more dynamic websites.

6). Drupal Website Development

If you consider any Drupal developer, ensure that you know that he has learned the skills of website development, including HTML and CSS. Not only this, but a Drupal developer also works with CSS pre-processors such as Sass and Less. These browsers can quickly transform the codes of the languages into simple web pages, understandable to non-techies.

The Drupal developer extends the CSS language that comprises new, enhanced features that help them do the frontend styling faster. As the browsers don’t understand the code written with Sass and Less, a Drupal developer get his hands on it and knows how to use JavaScript task runners – for instance, Gulp and Grunt. They also enable compiling code from the pre-processors mentioned above to a regular CSS.

7). Module Creation

The modules are also known as plugins that expand the conceivable outcomes of Drupal and incorporate it with various outsider devices, tools, and services.

The developers know how to explore, introduce and design modules generally for a specific task. Likewise, they ought to have the option to fabricate new modules as some of the time meeting client pre-requisites include making custom arrangements without any preparation. Drupal engineers need to know how to utilize center snares and module snares.

8). Theme Creation

Drupal developers are programmers specializing in building Drupal based CMS. Some of their main responsibilities are working with themes, coding modules and customizing the core code. If a client requests additional functionality not already provided by Drupal, the Drupal developer will be responsible for writing the code to perform that task in addition to testing it.

9). Exceptional Skills of Drupal Developers

Most of the Drupal developers also have a hands-on approach on taxonomies, content types, nodes, image presets, and navigation. Not just that, but they also work with Drupal APIs. Concerning the last option, we mean, for instance:

Structure API, utilized for making and handling structures on a site.
Render API, it manages the render clusters, pipeline, components, and reserving.
Cache API, that stores information consuming most of the day to process
Data set API that gives a designer a standard reflection layer for getting to data set servers.

A Drupal developer likewise knows SQL and MySQL for setting up Drupal information bases.

Hiring A Drupal Developer

With Drupal being such a high-end and popular content management system, it’s natural that many companies would want to hire a Drupal developer. However, it can be difficult to know where to look, what questions to ask, how to evaluate the answers you get, or whether the developer is worth the price. This guide will walk you through the process of finding a Drupal developer and assessing their skillset.

How To Hire A Reliable Drupal Developer? 15 Skills to Look For!

If you want to hire an exclusive, all-in-one Drupal Developer, you can search for a full-stack Drupal developer who perfectly fits all the requirements needed for the Drupal job profiles. Hiring a Drupal developer is not easy; it has its pros and cons, and you need to weigh them down as per your requirements.

How might you settle on the right Drupal designer for your Drupal projects? Are you hiring a perfect profile who is also proficient at fitting the position? Do you know how you can find the right developer for your project related to business? This guide might give you the tips that are best and most helpful; they might help you with the hiring process and finding the right Drupal developer to meet your requirements.

You can easily hire from open source platforms, but you might be accountable for arranging the interviews and travel plans (wherever they are needed) on your own. However, if you make a list of your requirements and send it to a good company that can outsource, you can rest assured of having exceptional developers for your project. The best thing? You can also seek out individual profiles, meeting Drupal Developer’s requirements on social media platforms to hire one suitable candidate.

1). Work Experience

One of the most important pre-requisite to look for when hiring a Drupal developer is prior working experience. When looking at a candidate’s résumé, check whether they have worked on any Drupal projects and how long they have been using the platform. If the candidate has been using Drupal for a long time, it will be easier for you to trust their ability to use the platform effectively and meet your needs.

A good way to check their previous experience is by asking technical questions about Drupal modules and how they work, or by assigning a small project before they start working for you. This will help you see if they are able to handle complex situations and keep up with your team’s expectations.

2). Acquia Certification

Acquia Certification is a powerful complement to any Drupal developer’s toolbox. Acquia Certified professionals have passed both the Acquia Drupal 7 Developer Exam and the Acquia Drupal 9 Site Builder Exam.

When you hire a Drupal developer for your project, it can cause a lot of stress if you’re unsure whether this person is going to be able to handle the job. A well-respected certification, like Acquia Certification, can be a great way to alleviate these concerns.

Acquia Certified professionals have proven themselves in two ways: they’ve passed an exam that measures their knowledge base against industry standards, and they are on call via the Acquia Network, a group of professionals who are available as consultants to other individuals and companies working with Drupal.

Acquia Certification is highly respected in the Drupal Development community, and having one of these developers on your team can not only set your website up for success from its conception but also help you avoid potential issues with incorrect implementation or design decisions.

3). Knowledge of Command Line Interface (CLI)

When hiring a Drupal expert, keep in mind that experience with the Command Line Interface (CLI) is a valuable skill. The CLI allows for more efficient execution of tasks. According to a Drupal expert, “The simple fact is that it’s faster and easier to administer a site through the command line than through an administrative interface.”

The expert suggested that there are multiple reasons why developers should consider using the CLI to work with Drupal instead of using a web-based interface.

When using the CLI, develop
ers have access to all available options in the Drupal core without having to navigate through layers of pages and menus. They can run commands without having to exit out of administrative mode first. Developers also avoid having to load Drupal every time they want to make changes to their site or test code.

4). Twig Templating Engine

When hiring a Drupal developer, a skill to look for is a command on Twig Templating Engine. This engine allows developers to create templates in an interpretable format that can be compiled and rendered into HTML by Drupal.

We define interpretable as human-readable code that can be tweaked, if necessary. Compiled means that the template is converted into PHP code and cached so that it isn’t recalculated each time it’s referenced. Rendered means that the markup has been converted into HTML and inserted into the page.

Twig templates are similar to PHP in syntax, but they have additional features such as template inheritance, filter hooks, extensions, and macros. Twig templates serve as the foundation for Drupal 8’s theme layer; Drupal will use Twig for its own internal templating system.

5). Symphony Flex

When hiring a Drupal developer, you’ll want to make sure that they have the Symphony Flex skill. When developing with the Symphony CMS, this skill allows developers to create fluid layouts and drag-and-drop modules. The Symphony Flex skill helps developers easily adjust a site’s content to suit different devices, like tablets and PCs. The Flex skill also lets you change colors and background images without touching code, and it supports responsive images.

6). PHP & PHP Framework

The ability to work with PHP (a scripting language) is crucial for a Drupal developer. The platform’s functionality comes primarily from PHP, and so a developer must have both experiences working with PHP and knowledge of its framework.

7). Package Managers

As any Drupal developer will tell you, package managers are crucial to the installation process. So how can you tell if a potential Drupal developer is worth hiring? The answer lies in their use of package managers.

A good Drupal developer will be able to list off at least 5 package managers and explain how they are used in the installation process. A great Drupal developer will go even further, describing the pros and cons of each one and when they would recommend using them.

Package management involves the installation, updating, and removal of software packages. Using package managers can provide a company with a method of keeping track of all the updates and installations that are occurring within their system. This can be used to ensure that any errors or problems are tracked down quickly in order to not disrupt the workflow. It also helps make sure that security patches are applied as soon as possible so that there aren’t any threats to the system as a whole.

8). Security Knowledge

Because Drupal is open-source, it’s easier for hackers to find vulnerabilities in the code without having to discover them on their own. The biggest security risk is that if your site is hacked, you’ll have to replace the entire server rather than just remove the offending code.

A good way to evaluate skill sets is by asking potential hires about their knowledge of Drupal security measures. Here are some questions you can ask to make sure you’re getting the best possible help for your money:

– Do you use a VPN when working on clients’ sites?

– Do you know how to make sure your host’s server is running on the latest version of PHP?

– How familiar are you with common Drupal exploits, and what can you do to prevent them?

Asking these questions will help you find a freelance Drupal developer who knows what they’re doing—and that’ll help your site stay secure!

9). Center Functioning of Drupal

As Drupal has evolved over the years, so too have the skills required to manage a Drupal website. A well-rounded Drupal developer should be able to handle both front-end coding – what users see when they access a site – as well as back-end coding – the programming that is involved in creating and managing the site itself.

A great candidate for a Drupal developer will be familiar with PHP programming language and especially proficient in SQL queries, which allow developers to pull information from multiple databases at once using single commands. An understanding of XML is also important for certain tasks.

This is a skill that takes years to fully master, so don’t just hire anyone who uses Drupal – look for one who specializes in this area!

10). Theming

Theming is the process of using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to change the way that a website looks without changing its underlying code. It can be used to adjust the layout of elements on a page, or even add animations and features like parallax scrolling. Theming is an advanced skill, but if a Drupal developer can do it, they’ll be able to bring lots of unique customizations to your site.

Drupal theme development is the process of taking an existing Drupal theme and modifying it to suit your needs. This can include things like adjusting colors and fonts, adding custom layouts or features, or completely overhauling design elements. A great Drupal theme developer will be able to take your vision for your website and make it come to life in Drupal.

11). The Extra Knowledge About Drupal

Drupal is an open-source content management framework. It’s used to power millions of websites. More than 1,000,000 developers are contributing to the platform, so it’s easy for even a novice to get overwhelmed. Each year, there are more than 10 million lines of code added and sometimes this can lead to technical debt.

Any extra knowledge about Drupal can help maintain and extend the codebase in a better way. The expertise can be gained by attending Drupal Meetups or going to local Drupal events like DrupalCamp and DrupalCon. The fact that the person has contributed to the global community speaks for his/her dedication towards his/her work and he/she will be able to deliver the best result for you.

12). Innovative Methodology or Approach

When hiring a Drupal developer, it’s important to understand that they’ll be your partner in developing a website or application. This means they need to be able to work with you and your team to find the best solutions to problems together.

They should also have some flexibility in their approach. There are many different ways to build an effective website, and Drupal developers need to be able to shift gears quickly when presented with new challenges.

13). Design Process Information

The design process begins long before any coding or styling occurs. It’s important to find someone who understands how to handle the flow of the project, and who can offer suggestions on how to make your website or software function in the most satisfying way possible. Here are some questions you can ask in an interview to make sure your designer has everything under control:

Do you have any experience working with Drupal?
Do you have any experience working with freelancers?
How do you handle difficult clients?
What is your favorite Drupal theme, and what makes it your favorite?

14). Meets the Budget

When you’re hiring a Drupal developer, you’ll have to be sure you’re getting the best quality for your money. Here are some things to
watch for that will ensure your project stays on a budget:

✔ Watch for hourly overtime charges. Overtime charges add up quickly and can push your project costs out of control.

✔ If a developer says they’re going to charge you by the hour, make sure they’ve set an expected number of hours per week. Make sure the number doesn’t go over what was agreed upon, or you’ll end up paying for more hours than are necessary.

✔ Pay attention to how estimates are determined. If a developer is able to give you an estimate with only seeing a few tasks but no understanding of the project as a whole, then they don’t understand what they’re doing. This may mean that they come back later and start asking for more money because they’ve gone over their original estimate.

✔ Look at whether or not there’s a cost associated with work revisions. If there isn’t a cost associated with revisions, then it’s likely that the developer is going to ask for an additional amount.

15). Work Nature

If you need a Drupal developer, one question to ask is: Does the candidate take pride in their work?

The reason for this is that developers who are proud of their work will be able to better articulate why it is that they made the decisions they made. They will also be more likely to explain the importance of said decisions and how they relate to the function of the site as a whole.

This is especially helpful when trying to determine if the developer has stepped outside of their role and tried to make creative decisions without consulting you first.

Asking a potential developer how they would handle a situation you’ve encountered before can allow you to gauge not only their understanding of how sites are built but also their general thought process and reasoning when building them.

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