Many companies, including tech giants like Netflix, PayPal, and LinkedIn, are hiring Node.js developer teams for Node's outstanding performance. It multitasks well, is light on the server, and runs on V8, a fast engine for chromium browsers like Google.
Node.js is a backend solution, a runtime environment that allows JavaScript to be executed on the server. Ryan Dahl created it in 2009, aiming to develop an architecture that would enable the creation of complicated programs through basic ones.
Choosing a backend technology for your web application is not a walk in the park, but if you want to focus on scalability and performance while saving on development costs, then hiring a Node.js developer might just be the option for you. Come along and find what to look out for when you hire a Node.js developer!
Table of Contents
What is Node.js?
What does a Node.js Developer do?
➤ Node.js Developer roles and responsibilities
What should a Node JS developer know?
Advantages of Node.js for your business
How to hire trusted Node.js Developers?
➤ Hire a freelancer Node.js Developer
➤ Hire an in-house Node.js Developer in your company
➤ Invest in staff augmentation with a Node.js team of experts
Find Node.js Developers at Imaginary Cloud
What is Node.js?
As we already covered in our previous blog post about Node.js, this open-source environment is used for developing and running io-intensive web applications. It is the perfect ecossystem for data-intensive applications because it uses an asynchronous, event-driven, single-threaded model. Take a look here at what exactly Node.js is, how it is used and when you should or should not implement it in your project idea.
What does a Node.js Developer do?
A common question hirees might have is what Node.js roles and responsabilities are. Simply put, a Node.js developer is responsible for deploying and managing network applications in JavaScript or its variants, such as IcedCoffeeScript and CoffeeScript. They control data exchange between servers and users, develop backend components, and connect applications with third-party web services. They also support front-end developers by integrating web-based applications.
Node.js Developer roles and responsibilities
To ensure you hire a Node.js developer that is a good fit, he must have extensive knowledge of Node.js-based services. An accomplished Node.js developer will be someone whose expertise results in consistent, swift, and secure data exchange. Here are the full responsibilities and must-have skills a Node.js Developer should have:
- Deploy and manage all server-side network elements.
- Ensure optimal responsiveness to front-end requests and central database performance.
- Work side-by-side with front-end developers on integrating components.
- Design customer-facing UI and backend services for business operations galore.
- Develop high-performance applications by writing testable, reusable, and efficient code.
- Enforce adequate safety protocols, data protection measures, and storage solutions.
- Execute tests to fix deficiencies, and provide technical support.
- Report operations, including database schemas.
- Advise, recommend and execute improvements to processes and technologies.
- Keep up-to-date about advancements regarding Node.js development and technologies alike in general.
What should a Node JS developer know?
Besides the above-mentioned must-have skills, a Node.js Developer should also understand how the technology works overall within various scenarios.
1. Expertise in Node.js Development
Created in 2009, Node.js has been enhanced by several contributors as an open-source platform ever since. Its library contains many Node.js frameworks, IDEs, and tools.
A web developer should have at least three years of background working with Node.js and significantly notable Node.js projects under their belt. It is also preferred if the developer has regularly contributed to bug fixes and patches to the Node.js community.
Their active engagement and contributions to Node.js projects reveal a thorough knowledge of Node.js internals- this also demonstrates that they are excellent team players with a strong interest in bespoke software and web application development.
2. Understand front-end technologies
Front-end development is what end users see when they use an application. Hence, developers must be familiar with front-end architecture and development, such as HTML5 and CSS.
3. Solid knowledge of Node.js frameworks
Frameworks are essential to the Node.js ecosystem because they extend Node.js' features. While there are a variety of Node.js frameworks to pick from, the Node.js developer team you hire must be familiar with them all.
Express is the basic framework that all Node.js developers and programmers should be familiar with, according to most Node.js developers.
Other frameworks that support Express: Koa.js, Hapi, and Total.js.
Full-stack MVC frameworks: StrongLoop, Sinatra, Keystone.js, Rails, Meteor, ActionHero, and Derby are amongst them.
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4. Proficiency in RESTful APIs and API communications
Every Node.js developer must be able to infer existing API codes and apply them to the projects. Dealing with interactions across different applications is a must while having an extensive understanding on creating custom ReSTful APIs.
5. Asynchronous programming
Node.js is a non-blocking, asynchronous programming technology, which means that the time for requests to be processed is significantly low. Two or more functions can run simultaneously, allowing developers to be more productive and efficient.
However, because asynchronous programming is still a relatively new technology, there are nuances that every developer should be aware of. Developers will be unable to take the necessary steps unless they fully grasp the workarounds.
6. Database schema for business processes
One of the abilities required to develop successful apps is database management. Database schemas that describe and support business operations should be created by Node.js developers and integrated into a single system - this is crucial for setting apps that may effectively service any organization's business operations.
7. Knowledge in user authentication, authorization, and data protection
User authentication and authorization across many systems, servers, and settings should be familiar to a Node.js developer - this aids in the development of extremely secure online apps.
Security has also become a more complicated issue in today's digital age. Implementing data protection solutions in online programs is a high priority, as it reduces the risk of hacking, security breaches, and data theft.
8. Write efficient code
Codes must be object-oriented in order to be readable. Some web developers and programmers write code that only they understand, making it difficult for other developers on the team to understand and update or alter their work.
To ensure consistency of work, make sure the Node.js developer you're hiring follows industry best practices. Developers must work well with others. If they do not create code effectively, it may impede team productivity and success of the projects.
9. Problem-solving skills
Error management is an important aspect of creating reliable software and applications. Node.js developers must understand when to crash, record an error, keep going, and when to try again.
Any Node.js developer should possess basic problem-solving abilities include troubleshooting and syntax manipulation.
Advantages of Node.js for your business
According to Stack Overflow Research Node.js is broadly used for back-end development and is a worldwide leader among frameworks.
More than 500.000 people read our blog every year. If you're enjoying this blog post and would like to get all our content on Node.js first-hand, 
Besides that, web development using Node.js is a breakthrough technology with unique characteristics, being one of the most efficient cross-platform JavaScript environments for developing strong and effective REST APIs, mobile apps, and web apps. So why is Node.js a good solution for your web app development?
- Easy & simple hosting
Node.js platform constantly implements new features and functions that benefit individuals who provide PaaS (platform-as-a-service) services to minimize waiting times; this is one of the main reasons open-source software development agencies pick Node.js for web development.
- Effortless sharing
The ease of sharing the NPM (Node Package Manager) is the key reason many web development firms prefer Node.js over other frameworks. You may quickly share anything with Node.js, which increases the pace of other development operations. Many Node.js developers, for example, utilize NPM to share resources when working on a team project. Plus, NPM allows them to manage and deploy code effortlessly.
- It is cost-effective
Organizations that use Node.js now use less computational power to host web apps. What's more, it is faster than compared to other frameworks.
- Real-time applications
Node.js enables you to create high-performance apps with fast results. Node.js-built web apps allow you to perform several activities simultaneously. It has a single-threaded and event-driven design that enables you to process multiple concurrent requests without affecting RAM.
- Allows single codebase
While many frameworks employ different programming languages for both client-side and server-side web development, It stands out because it allows developers to build code for complicated web app development projects using a single codebase. Given that several frameworks integrate several languages, businesses must hire developers fluent in more than one language.
- SEO-friendly
SEO plays an important role in web app development. Sites benefit from improved visibility thanks to Node.js backend rendering; this occurs for search engines to efficiently optimize the React Projects. Because Node.js provides great speed and performance, it is picked as the ideal framework for improving SEO techniques.
- Easy deployment of web applications
Node.js-based web apps are easy to deploy. This framework helps developers complete and test all aspects of a web application quickly. This framework is valuable to many PWA development organizations since it speeds up the final deployment of the web apps.
You can learn more about Node.js and its applications in both front-end and backend development here.
How to hire trusted Node.js Developers?
You've probably started looking for experts all around the world, searching through many renowned Node.js development agencies, but have you actually thought out the kind of professional you want to hire? Let's go through all of the possible employment alternatives, but first, we advise you to make a list of your project requirements and see which of the following solutions best fits you.
Hire a freelancer Node.js Developer
Hiring a freelancer or contractor is the go-to if you’re looking for a short-term collaboration. You can expect to save on costs and access to a broad range of professionals anywhere in the world. Some of the best places to hunt for reliable Node.js developers include Toptal, Freelancer, Codementor, and Upwork.
Pros:
- Cost-effective: you only pay for the work, nothing else.
- Big talent pool: you can work with the professional picked by you.
Cons:
- You have to evaluate the professionals yourself.
- Possible inability to meet deadlines as freelancers tend to have projects galore simultaneously.
- Unexpected absence.
- Language barriers and lack of cultural fit as they're not a part of your company.
- No follow-up on your project if an issue arises.
Hire an in-house Node.js Developer in your company
If you're about to launch a big project that will need frequent updates, maintenance, and post-launch support, you should employ a Node.js developer to work in-house, i.e., in your company.
The major advantage of having an in-house team is that communication is well-established and you can resort to them any time, as they’re your own employees.
Some of the best places to find in-house developers include Stack Overflow, Hired, Indeed, and Glassdoor.
Pros:
- You have more control: You personally supervise each and every development process, regularly keep in touch with the employees so you can get updated every hour if you want to.
- Fewer misunderstandings: Having the same approach and speaking the same language makes it easier to work together and have fewer misunderstandings.
- There’s more involvement: An in-house Node.js developer works exclusively for your project, which means that they are fully committed to it and instantly reply to every request.
Cons:
- It can be costly: You end up spending more on recruitment, company benefits, and equipment.
- Lack of flexibility and scalability in the sense that you have to ensure the people you hire have work or relevant projects to work on for the next 3-4 years.
- They may find a better job opportunity and leave your company.
Invest in staff augmentation with a Node.js team of experts
Hiring an agency that provides staff augmentation saves you time, ensures flexibility and higher efficiency for your project, and allows you to get the help you need on a scalable per-project basis. What’s more, the organization takes care of all aspects throughout the development of your project - from structuring a team with their developers available to managing all processes on their own side.
Pros:
- Time-saving, cost-saving and flexible as you don’t need to recruit, train, or pay salaries.
- You get access to a great pool of talented and trained professionals ready to hit the ground running.
- There are dedicated project managers, so you can focus on your core expertise.
- The time to market your web product is much faster, i.e., there's a great scalability.
Cons:
- Developers might not have institutional knowledge of your organizations.
- It can be more expensive to expand your team with Node.js developers, however this depends on the number of hours required to complete the project.
Find Node.js Developers at Imaginary Cloud
You can partner up with Imaginary Cloud for your Node.js projects - a leading software development company with a great talent pool of professionals. We work for both large and small-scale projects in web development and UI/UX design; each one of our Developers is handpicked by us through a highly selective recruitment process. Our retention rate speaks for itself, too. We have a 98% retention rate because we aim always to keep our employees happy!
At Imaginary Cloud, our Node.js developers:
- Follow agile development methodology, including sprint planning, standups, and weekly demos, to stay on the right track.
- Maintain regular communication with your team to keep you updated on the progress.
- Adhere to industry best practices to help you build your project and scale it without affecting the application performance.
Read also:
- Why do you need a backend developer to join your team?
- How to find an experienced React Native Developer
- How can a DevOps engineer improve your software product?
- Data science: what is and how it can help your business
Our Node.js Developers at Imaginary Cloud will assist you in all steps to complete your project as swiftly as possible without compromising the quality. We also handle all legal and management requirements during ourcollaboration, you will be are able to focus on your business deliverables. Throughout 11+ years of experience, Imaginary Cloud has already helped 300+ clients augment their local teams via hiring dedicated developers in Portugal. Take a moment to explain your project here and get help from our award-winning developers and designers!
Here, our experts will be fully immersed in your project from beginning to end, as we work within a dedicated development team model. Also, working with us means you’ll be working with a Top B2B Company awarded in the Development & IT Services segment as well as with a renowned brand reputation company!
We praise ourselves for being transparent with our readers and clients. Evaluate the pros and cons of each Node.js employment type, and choose the best solution for your project!
