Planning To Hire A Drupal Developer? 25+ Important Things To Consider

When you research hiring a Drupal developer, you might come across several posts. Some of them are Drupal site builders who build sites in Drupal using admin UI, and they don't need to write or edit codes.

A Drupal Themer or front-end developer is an HTML, CSS, and JavaScript expert who takes Drupal design and makes it into a working theme. Another post called Drupal Module Developer or Back-end developer does the server-side of the development using PHP or other server-side languages.

If you want an all-in-one Drupal developer, you can also go with a full-stack Drupal developer who fits all the Drupal job profiles. Hiring Drupal developers can have pros and cons, and you need to weigh them according to your needs.

How will you decide on the right Drupal developer for your project? Are you hiring a proficient one or not? How to find the right developer for your business project? This guide will give you the best 25+ tips to help you hire the right Drupal developer for your project.

You can hire from open source platforms, but you will be responsible for interviews and arranging travel plans if you are going this way. But if you send your requirements to a good outsourcing company, you can be assured of getting good developers for your project. You can also reach out to individual developers on social media or other hiring platforms to hire the one that suits your needs.

Also Read: All-In-One Guide: Drupal Consulting, Development, & Maintenance

Skill Set of the Developers

Look for how much experience your Drupal developer has and on which type of Drupal website. Hiring an experienced one with many Drupal sites can help you get the project done right.

Communication Skills

Your Drupal developer should communicate on a business level to solve problems, especially when you are a team lead or experienced developers.

Working Atmosphere

If you are hiring for an organization, you need to make sure that he/she can work in an office environment. If you are hiring a remote developer, make sure to hire someone who works in a condition with a proper internet connection and work environment.

Participation in Drupal community

Drupal encourages its members and teams to contribute to the Drupal community actively. The Drupal developer you hire should play an active role in the Drupal community.

Acquia Certified

Acquia provides a certification program for Drupal developers who want to improve their proficiency in a particular field. A certified Drupal developer stands apart from the plethora of drupal professionals out there.

Support & Maintenance

Drupal offers constant updates for security, and your Drupal developer must be accessible when you need these upgrades. Most Drupal developers offer Drupal support & maintenance services to ensure a smooth, secure, and seamless management of your Drupal website.

Not Just Drupal

Your Drupal expert should be proficient in third-party application integration. Hire a Drupal developer with expertise in integration with other third-party applications like CRM, ERP, marketing automation, logistics applications.

CLI (Command-Line Interface)

Ensure your Drupal developer is aware of a CLI tool called Drush that makes repetitive tasks more manageable. If your Drupal developer knows how to use Drush and implement it in your daily Drupal development practices, many tasks become more efficient.

Twig Templating Engine

Drupal developers should know templating in general. Knowing Twig (Drupal templating engine) is necessary regarding the development of Drupal 8.

Knowledge of PHP and Its Framework

Drupal is built upon the PHP language. Drupal 8 is built on Symfony, and your Drupal developer should be familiar with PHP and eager to learn and adopt PHP frameworks.

Also Read: Drupal Web Design Inspiration & Ideas For Your Drupal Website

Package Managers

In Drupal, the package manager has made installing external libraries and frameworks easier. Your Drupal developer should know package managers in Drupal so that you can efficiently manage dependencies.

Drupal Security Knowledge

Drupal is one of the safest & secure CMS available in the market. Since it is an open-source platform, it is no stranger to security threats. The Drupal security team works tirelessly to keep it away from threats and push out patches and updates. However, it is ultimately up to the website owners or developers of a Drupal site to update their site to keep it safe and secure.

Core Functioning of Drupal

Your Drupal developer should have a basic knowledge of Content Management Systems in general. Drupal functions a bit differently from other CMSs.your Drupal developer should know how Drupal works and the flow of things in Drupal.

Theming

Theming is an essential aspect of Drupal. A Drupal developer needs to know Drupal's theming and how theming works in Drupal. He /she should do some customizations to pre-built themes to tailor them to your needs.

Debugging

Your Drupal developer should know Debugging and be comfortable with it. Debugging points you directly to the source of error and helps avoid a lot of frustration.

The level of knowledge

Your Drupal developer should have vast knowledge about the modules and plugins in Drupal CMS development. And your Drupal developer should know the proper implementation of the module as per the requirement. Theoretical knowledge is not that much use for Drupal website development; practical knowledge is a must for every Drupal developer.

Innovative approach

With Drupal, you can be as innovative as possible. Your Drupal developer should have a curious and imaginative mind to create unique solutions for a project. Check the person's creative skills before hiring a Drupal developer for your project. At AddWeb Solution, our Drupal developers have several years of proven expertise in developing different kinds of Drupal sites.

Time and Task Management

For Drupal developers, sometimes there is too much on the plate to handle simultaneously. Drupal developers must know how to manage the time to head the entire list of tasks on time. They should know how to prioritize and complete the tasks as per the client's requirement and the need of the project.

Learning Ability

It is necessary to hire Drupal developers who quickly grasp the power to learn. Meaning, it is expected that your developer might not know everything, but your developer should be willing to learn and quickly understands and grasps the concepts.

Client Testimonials

If you are hiring a Drupal developer from an IT company, you might get the testimonials on their website. You can know what clients have to say about the developer and its work from here. The previous clients will reveal the professional attitude, dedication, and position of any Drupal coder.

Budget-friendly

It is not like you have to hire a cheap Drupal developer to save money. Make sure you employ the one with proven expertise and will be able to give value for money. Clearly define the budget and communicate it to your Drupal developer before hiring.

Ask about the design process

Ask your Drupal developer if they have a documented design process or use any software. If they have a documented strategy in place, you can rest assured that he/she will handle the entire Drupal development process from start to finish like a pro.

Timeframe

A Drupal developer should give you a timeframe for your project depending upon what you will need to complete before the project can start. It helps you plan future things.

Ask what they need from you

Before hiring a developer, ask them what they will need for your initial, like content, images, passwords, etc. Get a list of exactly what you'll need to give them to get started. It will provide you with enough time to provide written content, images, account information, and design feedback.

Do they need a written copy for the website?

Your website copy is essential, and it should be written with utmost care. Your Drupal developers are not aware of the copywriting. You can create the content for your site or ask them if they have any copywriters who can do the work for you. It's always good to give your written content to an editor for review and get feedback from your colleagues to critique it.

Knowledge of custom development

Ask them if they know how to do custom development in Drupal. Most of the Drupal developers only use the in-built templates to create a website. Knowledge of custom development is necessary to develop an out-of-the-box website.

We hope these excellent tips will help you hire the best Drupal developer for your project. If you need proficient and talented Drupal developers, then AddWeb Solution is the right bet for you. Call us now, and let's discuss your Drupal development requirement.