How do you find and hire good Mobile App Developers?

Update so far.. not good. Not good at all. This is a headache.

The larger companies are truly insane. Granted I still have a few more to hear back from.
Where as the UK Company I've spoken to actually understood and addressed the needs and risks of what we're trying to do. This is a Lean Startup test run after all.

The SA Companies completely ignored all of that and basically said "you tell us what to do, we do it on our own leisure time, and your money. If it works or not". Their estimates of what can be one with their teams have also been much longer than single developers. (I've been phoning up Software and Mobile Devs that I know to help with that, they're not for hire)

So from a Risk side..
Dealing with a company is typically more expensive, but they give more flexibility and greatly helps with some of the uncertainties and risks. This is mainly because their structure can handle more unexpected things, and have the physical resources to smooth out issues easier than what a freelancer can. (Same as what the UK company said). They usually also add their expertise, because the client doesn't know what's best, they're not a techie. (So far none of the SA ones have done that either)

What this then also says, is that there's no difference in terms of risk between that and just outright hiring a very seasoned Freelance Senior Dev, plus a helping hand or two.
From the quotes so far, the math is: I can hire 4 separate teams to each build the same app, in case any of them are useless and the code is a disaster. Choose the best one to put live, and still have enough money left to do it all again. Or just trust the one corporate company to do it once on their own leisure time. (Without any extras)
 
I am a seasoned software developer who creates mobile apps and bespoke web applications on the side.
I do have a full time job though so I work at night and on weekends. Got so busy that there are now three of us.
60k a month - biggest project 7 months so far. I got into it when we moved back to South Africa and my son was unable to find developer work as he just had a degree, (gumtree advertising) Got work for him and then took the overflow. 6 years now working all hours.
 
Web-Guy said:
I am a seasoned software developer who creates mobile apps and bespoke web applications on the side.
I do have a full time job though so I work at night and on weekends. Got so busy that there are now three of us.
60k a month - biggest project 7 months so far. I got into it when we moved back to South Africa and my son was unable to find developer work as he just had a degree, (gumtree advertising) Got work for him and then took the overflow. 6 years now working all hours.
Click to expand...
By next year burnout will be evident and you'll be sorry
 
foozball3000 said:
Update so far.. not good. Not good at all. This is a headache.

The larger companies are truly insane. Granted I still have a few more to hear back from.
Where as the UK Company I've spoken to actually understood and addressed the needs and risks of what we're trying to do. This is a Lean Startup test run after all.

The SA Companies completely ignored all of that and basically said "you tell us what to do, we do it on our own leisure time, and your money. If it works or not". Their estimates of what can be one with their teams have also been much longer than single developers. (I've been phoning up Software and Mobile Devs that I know to help with that, they're not for hire)

So from a Risk side..
Dealing with a company is typically more expensive, but they give more flexibility and greatly helps with some of the uncertainties and risks. This is mainly because their structure can handle more unexpected things, and have the physical resources to smooth out issues easier than what a freelancer can. (Same as what the UK company said). They usually also add their expertise, because the client doesn't know what's best, they're not a techie. (So far none of the SA ones have done that either)

What this then also says, is that there's no difference in terms of risk between that and just outright hiring a very seasoned Freelance Senior Dev, plus a helping hand or two.
From the quotes so far, the math is: I can hire 4 separate teams to each build the same app, in case any of them are useless and the code is a disaster. Choose the best one to put live, and still have enough money left to do it all again. Or just trust the one corporate company to do it once on their own leisure time. (Without any extras)
Click to expand...
If you have a background in software yourself, and you are willing to work with them, getting a freelance dev in with experience to develop it is likely the option that would work.

What role do you expect (or are willing) to play in the development? Remember a lot of big companies want an "app" because that is the hip thing to do, and that is the market for the big software dev houses. If your main business is software (I see microtransactions were mentioned), then building up the tech capacity to do it yourself is likely the better thing.
 
App dev is for the bottom of the food chain, yes even 10 year old's are writing 'the next big thing' in their parents basements.

Also feel bad for the dev's who have to work with android studio
 
If you’re a web dev, why not use React Native to build your MVP?

Focus on the user experience instead of trying take advantage of native hardware features you probably don’t even need? Deploying to Apple is going to be a bitch of a blood clot but you’re a command away from having it run on iOS
 
CT_Biker said:
If you’re a web dev, why not use React Native to build your MVP?

Focus on the user experience instead of trying take advantage of native hardware features you probably don’t even need? Deploying to Apple is going to be a bitch of a blood clot but you’re a command away from having it run on iOS
Click to expand...

Definitely.
Just start with Expo and make your life easier
 
CT_Biker said:
If you’re a web dev, why not use React Native to build your MVP?

Focus on the user experience instead of trying take advantage of native hardware features you probably don’t even need? Deploying to Apple is going to be a bitch of a blood clot but you’re a command away from having it run on iOS
Click to expand...

Well, the MVP runs in OutSystems. (A mistake in hindsight)
But was good enough to get the user experience down and things moving forward.


We'll see what happens in the new year.
I've spoken to a lot of native developers and react developers.. an experience I do not wish on my worst enemy.
 
foozball3000 said:
Well, the MVP runs in OutSystems. (A mistake in hindsight)
But was good enough to get the user experience down and things moving forward.


We'll see what happens in the new year.
I've spoken to a lot of native developers and react developers.. an experience I do not wish on my worst enemy.
Click to expand...

What do you mean? React native is a great way to build native mobile apps.
 
foozball3000 said:
Well, the MVP runs in OutSystems. (A mistake in hindsight)
But was good enough to get the user experience down and things moving forward.


We'll see what happens in the new year.
I've spoken to a lot of native developers and react developers.. an experience I do not wish on my worst enemy.
Click to expand...

Why? We are not terrible people to deal with.
But then Joe public can be a bunch of ***** too - it goes both ways.

_kabal_ said:
What do you mean? React native is a great way to build native mobile apps.
Click to expand...

Those two things contradict each other.

Native apps; are built with native technologies, like Swift (iOS) and (Kotlin / Java) Android. Using native frameworks directly.

React native is a cross platform solution; which is abstracted away from the core technologies. Not native in the true sense.
 
Priapus said:
Why? We are not terrible people to deal with.
But then Joe public can be a bunch of ***** too - it goes both ways.



Those two things contradict each other.

Native apps; are built with native technologies, like Swift (iOS) and (Kotlin / Java) Android. Using native frameworks directly.

React native is a cross platform solution; which is abstracted away from the core technologies. Not native in the true sense.
Click to expand...

why “complicating” things? React Native outputs native apps.

The apps are rendered natively by the underlying Android/iOS UI layer.
A button rendered in a React Native app is the same thing as a button rendered in a Swift app.


This is the accepted definition of native apps, unlike hybrid (javascript/html rendered in a web view) or Flutter (rendered using Skia)
 
_kabal_ said:
why “complicating” things? React Native outputs native apps.

The apps are rendered natively by the underlying Android/iOS UI layer.
A button rendered in a React Native app is the same thing as a button rendered in a Swift app.


This is the accepted definition of native apps, unlike hybrid (javascript/html rendered in a web view) or Flutter (rendered using Skia)
Click to expand...

Dude, no.

I've been in this game 10 years, now. Believe me when I say, a React Native app, is not the same thing as a native app.

React Native Apps are lower quality and have some restrictions. Even AirBnB gave up on React Native apps

Here, I'll even save you a Google:
medium.com

Sunsetting React Native

Due to a variety of technical and organizational issues, we will be sunsetting React Native and putting all of our efforts into making…
medium.com medium.com

And to save you some reading, incase that isn't your thing - TL;DR - Their experience with RN was far worse and the promise of "write once, deploy everywhere" is a half truth. they went to native development instead - with tools and languages that have first class support from Apple and Google.

So, no, they're not even remotely the same thing.

You're oversimplifying things, because you don't understand the technical aspects of what's involved.
 
Obviously they are not the same thing. That should be obvious to any and all. Duh.

Noone said they are the same thing though.

You said they are not native apps. This is categorically incorrect.

Kotlin/Android/Swift
React Native
These use native UI elements and gestures provided by the underlying native UI frameworks

Flutter
Uses Skia to render UI that looks like the underlying OS elements, but is not.

Hybrid
Uses WebKit/Blink/whatever to render HTML/CSS


Pretty basic stuff really…..

React native is a great way to build native mobile apps.
 
Last edited:
Priapus said:
Why? We are not terrible people to deal with.
But then Joe public can be a bunch of ***** too - it goes both ways.
Click to expand...

Hard to summarise why it's such a horrible experience. (I can only imagine how insane it must be for non-technical clients)
Only one of the meetings made actual business sense, was professional and to the point of what we're trying to accomplish. That one felt like a normal business sit-down. Put cards on the table, discuss options, make some choices, done.

But between the orgy of messy other meetings, there's enough to piece together some plans on how to go about it next, future plans and such.
Now it's the hurry up and wait part.
 
Probably for the record, the only practical reason why I asked in all the meetings about the different frameworks, wasn't for the features, the MVP at least is fairly basic.

It was to try and figure out options, limits and alternatives towards cheaper and older phones.
 
_kabal_ said:
React native is a great way to build native mobile apps.
Click to expand...

Yeah no. The industry say no. They’re not the same thing - you implied RN and native apps are the same thing.

They’re definitely not.

Did you even read the article I posted?

Of course you didn’t.
 
Priapus said:
Yeah no. The industry say no. They’re not the same thing - you implied RN and native apps are the same thing.

They’re definitely not.

Did you even read the article I posted?

Of course you didn’t.
Click to expand...
Stop shifting the goal posts.
I implied nothing.

No one claimed what you are claiming.

React native is a great way to build native mobile apps.
99% of app developers will never be affected these engineering and organizational issues.
99% of companies can use existing skill sets instead of up skilling into 2 completed different tech stacks.

Stop implying that hyper-scale problems apply to everyone, they don’t.

The correct approach with any technology is to evaluate the risks and rewards and make the best decision that you can make at the time, given realistic likely outcomes.

I am not sure you even read the article.

Take the L.
 
Last edited:
_kabal_ said:
why “complicating” things? React Native outputs native apps.

The apps are rendered natively by the underlying Android/iOS UI layer.
A button rendered in a React Native app is the same thing as a button rendered in a Swift app.


This is the accepted definition of native apps, unlike hybrid (javascript/html rendered in a web view) or Flutter (rendered using Skia)
Click to expand...
No it’s not, it does the same thing. But nice try.

Seeing as you know everything. Write the whole ****ing thing yourself. You screwed the pooch looking for helping and back chatting everyone who tried to help you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X