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I can assume that you want to hire Java developers, and that’s why you are here. You probably need to create high-performance and scalable software solutions, and you trust the Java programming language. Naturally, you need Java experts or, at the very least, very competent Java developers.
You have come to the right web page. Here, I will explain all about hiring Java developers. You will get to know about the costs of hiring Java engineers. I will tell you about the costs of executing Java projects. You will see examples of Java development projects, and I will describe the 6 best companies to hire Java developers and Java development services in 2024.
Java and related technologies have played a very important part in the modern software development landscape. I expect this evergreen object-oriented programming language to remain prominent for years to come.
Since its advent in 1995, Java has gained a high degree of importance due to its advantages. A highly versatile language, it’s used in web development, mobile application development, enterprise software development, artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) development, and many other purposes.
A look at the TIOBE index tells you that Java has consistently remained one of the top programming languages. As Statista reports, the high demand for Java developers continues emphatically even after so many decades.
I need not tell you that having the best Java developers is crucial for developing important Java applications. You will now read how to find them.
Source: Java developers
- How much does it cost to hire Java Developers?
- How Much Does a Java Development Project Cost in 2024?
- Different Types of Java Developers
- How To Hire The Top Java Developers? Take The 5 Important Steps
- Best 6 Companies to hire Java developers in 2024
Java Development Trends To Watch Out For
I foresee the following key Java development trends:
- The adoption of cloud computing platforms can accelerate rapidly. Java developers work by using several tools already including cloud platforms. I foresee that the synergy between cloud computing and Java will encourage many more developers to use cloud computing platforms like AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Azure, etc.
- Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has made impressive advancements, and many Java programmers are switching to this IDE (Integrated Development Environment). A significantly improved UI (user interface), a robust debugging tool, and a useful plugin ecosystem make VS Code an excellent choice. Java developers will likely adopt VS Code even more in the future.
- Despite stiff competition from more modern programming languages like Kotlin, Java programming for native Android development will remain popular.
- Many AI/ML developers already use Java. The adoption of Java will increase here due to the excellent AI/ML libraries Java developers can use.
- Java programming using Java 17 will become even more popular due to better performance, security, and other useful innovations.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Java Developers?
I will now explain how much you need to pay when you hire Java developers. You need to first understand the factors that influence the costs, which are as follows:
- You will get the cost data in terms of hourly rates even if you plan to hire Java developers full-time. Subsequently, you need to calculate your cost outlay from that data.
- You need to pay more when hiring Java programmers in matured markets like North America and Western Europe.
- If you want collocated Java developers in such mature markets, the exact location could drive the costs higher.
- You need to pay a premium rate if you hire a Java developer from top US companies.
- Well-known and reliable American software development companies offer hourly rates that reflect the value they provide.
- Your costs could be lower when you hire freelancers. However, this decision comes with risks, and I will soon talk about them.
If you want Java developers in the US, then hire them from a company that is located in the US. Such companies include US-specific contractual terms and conditions in their legal agreements. You get a better chance of safeguarding your legitimate interests. Developers from these companies align more easily with your culture, which is another advantage.
Java Java developers for hire in the United States
You will need to pay between $55 and $300 per hour if you hire a senior Java developer or a Java expert in the US. That means a monthly cost outlay of $10,400-$48,000 for a full-time Java programmer.
Java developers for hire in Western Europe
An intermediate-to-advanced level Java developer in Western Europe can cost you $45-200 per hour. You will end up paying $8,000-$32,000 per month for a full-time developer.
Developers for hire in Eastern Europe
You might pay $35-$150 per hour for hiring Java developers with a medium-to-high level of experience in Eastern Europe. That translates to $5,600-$24,000 per month for full-time developers.
Hiring Java developers in India
In India, it costs $10-$65 per hour to hire senior Java developers or Java experts. You will pay $1,600-$10,400 per month when hiring a full-time Java developer.
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Cost of Hiring a Developer by Region in The United States
Though I have warned of making sure to hire a developer from your geographical region, for those startups and enterprise companies based in The United States, hiring from different states is not much of an issue vs. hiring from different countries.
- Hire a Java developer in California (San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco): $124,800 to $284,000 per year
- Hire a Java developer in Colorado (Denver, Colorado Springs, Greenwood Village): $111,000 – $124,000 per year
- Hire Java developers in Illinois (Chicago, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield): $106,228 – $123,440 per year
- Hire Java developers in Maryland (Fort Washington, Baltimore, Annapolis): $90,001 – $115,000 per year
- Hiring a developer in Massachusetts (Boston, Worcester, Springfield): $112,500 – $113,875 per year
- Hiring a developer in New York (Albany, New York, Brooklyn): $112,500 – $166,400 per year
- Hiring Java developers in Texas (Austin, Houston, Dallas): $93,917 – $121,811 per year.
How Much Does a Java Development Project Cost in 2024?
Your Java development costs will vary depending on the complexity of Java projects. For example, a straightforward web or mobile app development project will cost less, whereas a complex enterprise asset management system development project will cost more.
1. Simple Java Development Projects
Let me assume that you have a very simple web development or mobile development project at hand. You need to implement only standard functionalities. Using commonly known Java frameworks will be enough.
I call it a simple project, costing you between $5,000 and $50,000. 1-3 Java developers can complete it within 1-8 weeks.
2. A Java Development Project of Medium Complexity
You might have a project with mostly standard requirements with a sprinkling of customized requirements. You probably need to develop medium-complexity web services. I assume you have largely standard non-functional requirements (NFRs) with only a few stringent NFRs.
I categorize it as a medium-complexity Java project. You should budget for $50,000-$250,000. You might need 1-6 Java developers for 1.5-6 months.
3. Complex Java Projects
I assume that you have a Java development project with many customized requirements. You might be undertaking a “first of a kind” mobile application development or web development project. The application has many challenging NFRs like performance, scalability, etc.
Take, for example, an enterprise software development project. You might even need to integrate cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence or IoT (Internet of Things).
Consider this as a complex project. Prepare to spend more than $250,000. You could need more than 6 Java developers for more than 6 months.
How do we gauge the complexity of Java projects?
I provide the simplest answer: “Analyze the functional and non-functional requirements.”
Let’s assume you are developing very simple native Android mobile apps or equally simple web applications. The apps will mostly show content.
Users will have only a few interactive functions, e.g., account creation, login, providing/updating non-sensitive information, etc. You need to implement only standard requirements.
The proposed app doesn’t have stringent performance, scalability, availability, and other non-functional requirements. I would categorize this as a simple project.
Web development projects and mobile development projects with customized requirements and demanding non-functional requirements will count as projects with medium complexity. The following types of projects should count as medium-complexity projects due to niche skill requirements:
- IoT development projects;
- Embedded development projects;
- Big data projects;
- AI/ML development projects;
- Data science projects.
I categorize mobile development and web development projects with complex functional requirements and stringent non-functional requirements as complex projects. Do you see the above-mentioned projects involving nice skills? Even medium-complexity requirements in such projects will make them complex ones. I will also consider enterprise software development projects to be complex ones.
Examples of Java projects
You can understand the above-mentioned complexity yardsticks better by reviewing the following Java development project examples:
DentaMatch:
DentaMatch is a platform for temporary dental care professionals to specific dental offices based on their availability and skill sets. The DevTeam.Space development team took over an incomplete project involving web, Android, and iOS development.
The web, Android, and iOS development teams also refactored the app, including the back end. They had to implement the right architectural patterns, furthermore, they created the required RESTful APIs.
Island Bargains:
Island Bargains is a provider of shipping, logistics, warehousing, air freight, ocean freight, and fulfillment services. The company operates in 28 countries in the Caribbean region. The company needed a major performance and security overhauling of its web application.
DevTeam.Space developers identified all of the bottlenecks. They fixed the performance issues, and subsequently, they implemented new features. DevTeam.Space implemented a new POS (Point of Sale) system, integrated the relevant services, and integrated the web application to the IoT product scanners of Island Bargains.
In the next phase, the DevTeam.Space team developed the Android and iOS apps for Island Bargains. The project scope included end-to-end project management. Island Bargains witnessed significant operational performance improvement as a result of this project.
Different Types of Java Developers
How many types of Java developers are there? I explain this on the basis of technical skills and experience. To start with, you should look for Java programmers with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field.
1. Junior Java Developers
A junior Java developer needs the following skills:
- The developer needs a thorough knowledge of the Java programming language.
- Such developers should understand object-oriented programming well.
- Junior Java programmers must also understand other programming paradigms, such as functional programming.
- They need to understand the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) concepts well.
- Developers should know sufficiently about relational database management systems (RDBMSs). In particular, they should know SQL well. Furthermore, they need good familiarity with popular SQL databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, etc.
- Junior Java developers need adequate knowledge of NoSQL databases like MongoDB, Apache Cassandra, etc.
- Such programmers should understand the key differences between SQL-vs-NoSQL databases.
- Junior Java programmers must understand the differences between external and embedded database management systems.
- They should have a good knowledge of the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) API.
- While we are on the topic of the JDBC API, let’s remember that junior Java developers should understand the concept of APIs well. They need to know about RESTful APIs. I believe that they should know the REST-vs-GraphQL differences.
- They need familiarity with front-end web development technologies like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Angular, React, etc.
- Developers should have a thorough knowledge of backend web development.
- Android development skills and experience are important.
- Junior Java programmers should understand the different software architecture patterns like MVC.
- They should know about the important Java libraries.
- You want junior Java developers to know about the Spring framework. They should know about Spring Boot, too.
- An adequate familiarity with the Java ecosystem and related technologies is required. If your project requires other popular Java frameworks, please specify that in the Java developer job description. Examples are web frameworks like Spark or GUI frameworks like SWT.
- Junior Java programmers should know how to write clean Java programs. Therefore, they need to understand the Java coding standards.
- Such software engineers need familiarity with the top cloud platforms. I will soon talk about it.
- They should be familiar with the design of user interfaces (UI).
- Junior Java developers need an understanding of database schemas.
- They should know how to code scalable apps that offer good performance.
- Developers need to know how to follow the application security standards.
- They should know enough about practices like testing and DevOps. The understanding of CI (Continuous Integration)/CD (Continuous Delivery) is important.
- Junior Java programmers should be familiar with tools like Git, Ant, Maven, Gradle, etc.
- They need soft skills like communication skills.
2. Mid-level Java Developers
In addition to having all of the skills of a junior developer at a higher degree, an intermediate Java developer needs the following skills:
- Such experienced developers should know how to create Java applications that deliver both complex functional requirements and stringent non-functional requirements.
- Mid-level Java developers need a good understanding of different Java application architecture options.
- Intermediate-level Java programmers must have a very thorough knowledge of code review and other software quality management processes and practices.
- Mid-level Java developers should know all of the important tools and libraries used with the Java technology stack.
- Their knowledge of the Java development kit must be very thorough.
- The conceptual understanding that intermediate Java developers have on topics like Java object-relational mapping, etc., needs to be quite in-depth.
- Such senior Java developers need an extensive understanding of the testing process. They ought to know very well about different types of testing, e.g., unit testing, system testing, regression testing, load testing, etc.
- Mid-level Java developers should have gained enough experience in different types of Java projects, e.g., Android development, web development, embedded development, cloud-native development, etc.
- They should know how changes made to user interfaces can have a considerable impact on the application code.
- Their teamwork and problem-solving skills ought to be sound.
3. Java Experts
Not just have all of the above-mentioned skills at an expert level, but advanced-level Java developers must demonstrate much more capabilities. The following are a few examples:
- You should get suggestions from them about the best tools to use in your project. For example, they should be able to tell you which code versioning tools will fit your requirements the most. Likewise, they should be able to advise you about other tools like build tools.
- Java experts need to provide good suggestions to you about application security. For example, they should be able to tell the security tips when using AWS. To take another example, if you are developing a FinTech app, then they should point out the important cybersecurity aspects to you.
- Whether you need to scale a Java EE app, scale a web app, or scale another app, such senior Java developers should be able to guide you.
- To take an example, I assume that you want to implement the microservices architecture. Top Java developers should be able to suggest the important microservices best practices.
- Expert Java developers should know enough about important project management methodologies like Agile.
- Advanced Java programmers should understand the standpoint of the user. You also need leadership competencies from them.
The best software development cloud platforms
As I had mentioned, here’s a short summary of some of the top cloud platforms:
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP): One of the leading cloud platforms, GCP offers a comprehensive set of cloud services. They have considerable strength in all the different cloud service models like IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), etc. GCP provides databases, API integrations, DevOps tools, AI services, and much more for your Java development project. GCP is easy to use, thanks to the comprehensive documentation.
- Microsoft Azure: Azure is one of the top cloud platforms that cover the entire gamut of cloud infrastructural and other relevant services. Whether you want IaaS, PaaS, API integration, DevOps tools, databases, performance monitoring tools, or anything else for your Java projects, Azure can provide it. You can follow the extensive training materials that make it easy to use Azure.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): One of the market-leading cloud providers, AWS covers every kind of cloud service that you can think of. That means you can get storage, servers, an IaaS platform, a PaaS platform, databases, AI/ML services, or anything else that you need for your Java development project. AWS has a wide range of resources that you can utilize to learn the platform.
How To Hire The Top Java Developers? Take The 5 Important Steps
You need to take the following steps to hire Java developers:
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Step 1: Decide the complexity level of the Java project and determine the type of Java developers needed (important step)
Use the above-mentioned guidelines to assess the project complexity and examples of Java projects to assess your project. Decide the type and number of Java developers needed based on this assessment.
Step 2: Select a source for hiring Java developers (critical)
I set out with the assumption that you will hire remote Java programmers and you don’t plan to hire collocated developers. You have the following choices then:
- You can hire dedicated Java developers from a reliable and prominent software development company.
- Hire freelance Java developers.
Without a second thought, I recommend you hire Java programmers from a trustworthy software development company with a robust track record.
Why should you hire a dedicated Java developer from a reliable software development company?
- You can get highly skilled Java developers since prominent software development companies follow comprehensive vetting processes.
- Companies hire Java developers in large numbers for large Java projects. They can do that easily from leading software development companies due to the large pool of developers.
- You can get a high degree of flexibility from such companies. They can support you whether you want one Java developer or many. If you need a Java development team, they can provide that. Well-known software development companies can also deliver your project from the start to the end.
- Your hiring process becomes simpler due to their extensive vetting processes and efficiency.
- You can get a complementary QA service from reliable software development companies prior to important releases. You can then detect defects more efficiently and resolve them.
- Prominent software development companies offer a no-risk trial period. Typically, for one week, you can get a replacement developer at no additional cost if the original programmer didn’t fit in with your project.
- You can get transparent and clearly drafted legal agreements from well-known software development companies. Your legitimate interests, including intellectual property rights, are secure.
- Leading software development companies offer complimentary project management support. You get this support in the form of a dedicated account manager, suitable tools, and efficient processes.
Now, if you have a very simple project, then you can think of hiring freelancers. I don’t recommend this option, though.
Why should you avoid hiring freelancers as much as possible?
- You never know if a freelancer will put sufficient effort into your project. Freelancers often work on more than one project simultaneously. You will need to depend on their time management skills and priorities. Your project can get delayed.
- Your intellectual property and sensitive data are at risk of unauthorized access and misuse. There were instances of freelancers making profits unfairly at the cost of your sensitive business information.
- Prepare to look for replacement developers at short notice. Freelancers search for opportunities that offer better pay. They can leave your project mid-way, and that too, at short notice.
- There’s a lot of work when you hire freelancers. You need to post your job on several freelance websites. Subsequently, you shortlist candidates and conduct rigorous interviews. Check the background before you hire. You need to manage freelancers effectively, integrate their work, and deliver the project. Since freelance platforms don’t offer any project management support, you are on your own!
Step 3: Shortlist developers and interview them (a long and important step)
You are at the “business end” of your hiring process. Shortlisting and interviewing freelancers take considerably longer than interviewing Java developers from reliable software development companies. Post your job, shortlist candidates, and do the following:
Interview Round 1: Check technical skills
Your objective here is to have a list of programmers with the required technical skills. Ask questions that are suitable to the different experience levels, i.e., junior Java developers, intermediate-level developers, and Java experts.
You should ask questions to cover all the technologies that are relevant to your project. Our interview questions might help you, e.g.:
Focus on hands-on programming skills over theory when you interview candidates.
Did you find a few candidates for the subsequent round? Now’s the right time to discuss the terms and conditions of your project!
Interview Round 2: Assess Java development expertise
You would want to know about the different kinds of Java development projects that the developers have worked on. For example, what is their native Android mobile application development expertise? Once again, you can use our Android interview questions if needed.
You might also need to find out the web development expertise of candidates. Use our web development interview questions if you need to.
Especially for senior developers, you might need to evaluate their software engineering expertise. Our software engineering interview questions can help you.
Interview Round 3: Assessing the relevant experience
During this interview round, check how a Java developer has worked on a type of project that’s relevant to you. You should ask questions tailored to specific project contexts. You can even describe your project requirements and ask for specific suggestions for implementing such requirements.
An important tip for assessing the genuineness of developers
When you take a video conference-based interview, please record the session. Ask programmers to show their code from past projects on a shared video conference screen. Genuine developers will happily agree to do that. Therefore, be wary of programmers who don’t comply with this requirement.
Step 4: Check references of suitable candidates
You have identified skilled and experienced Java developers. However, conduct reference validation before you hire. Count on only verified reviews when depending on online reviews. While reference checks can be hard for freelancers, it’s doubly important when you hire them!
Step 5: Onboard new developers
You now need to onboard the new Java programmers effectively so that they become productive quickly. An effective onboarding needs the following steps:
- The architect should describe the project. The explanation must include the functional requirements, non-functional requirements, architecture diagrams, architectural decisions, and technical solutions. Developers also need to receive these documents.
- The new team members need access to the project’s technical environment, which the PM should grant.
- Either the architect or the PM should explain the project processes. The discussion should cover code repositories, work intake, quality management, etc.
- The PM should describe the project schedule and milestones.
- Lastly, the PM needs to devise an effective communication process.
Best 6 Companies to Hire Java Developers 2024
Let’s now see where you can hire the best Java developers.
1. DevTeam.Space
DevTeam.Space is a highly-rated software development company with its headquarters in the US. That’s an important advantage if you are in the US. You can hire dedicated Java developers from this reputed and trustworthy company.
Not only Java technologies but DevTeam.Space has enviable expertise in the larger software development landscape. Whether developing mobile apps, web applications, artificial intelligence/machine learning systems, blockchain applications, IoT systems, or virtual reality applications, DevTeam.Space has proved its mettle conclusively.
The notable track record of 99% success rate over 300+ projects testifies to the capabilities of the company. A crucial building block of these capabilities is the large community of software engineers. DevTeam.Space has a community of 1,200+ software developers spread across 60+ software development teams.
The developers in this community come from the US, Canada, and Europe. You can see that such a large and varied community of software engineers requires proactive management.
DevTeam.Space indeed manages the community well. The company provides exciting professional development opportunities to the developers, including regular encouragement to upgrade their skills.
A key aspect of this proactive management is the extensive vetting process. You can be sure that the vetted Java developers from DevTeam.Space have the necessary technical skills and experience. Exciting career development opportunities make them highly motivated, too.
DevTeam.Space has a world-class software development process, and its developers are trained in it. The company assigns a tech account manager if you hire developers from them. You can get complementary project management support, and the company has a robust AI-powered Agile process.
Not only does DevTeam.Space provides expert and dedicated Java developers, but you can also hire cohesive Java development teams. The company provides a flexible engagement model and a highly transparent contracting process.
DevTeam.Space provides a risk-free trial period. You can get a replacement developer at no additional cost within a week if a developer isn’t the right fit. However, the proactive engagement and stringent vetting processes make it unlikely that you will get such developers in the first place.
Enterprises like NEC, Airbus, and Samsung are clients of DevTeam.Space. The company has also supported many startups.
Hire expert developers for your next project
You can see why DevTeam.Space should be your first choice for hiring a proficient Java developer or an effective Java development team. Now, do you have a very simple project which will likely cost you less than $5,000? Is that a low-visibility project where failure is an option? You can then explore hiring freelancers.
2. Upwork
Upwork is one of the best-known freelance platforms where you can hire Java developers. The headquarters of this company is in the US, and the network includes freelancers from all over the world.
Upwork is a general-purpose freelance platform, which means that you can find a wide variety of freelancers on it. For example, you can find content writers, graphic designers, etc. Many software developers, including Java developers, are on this network.
You need to open an account on Upwork. Subsequently, write up the Java developer job description and post your Java development project requirement.
Since Upwork is a large freelance platform, many Java programmers might see your job post. You could get many applications.
Now, you need to review the resumes of the applicants. Subsequently, you need to interview them and check their background.
When you decide to hire Java programmers on Upwork, you need to use their contracting process. Upwork provides transparent and secure contracting and payment processes.
You might even get a Java developer at a low hourly rate. The question is, how do you know that you found the ideal Java developer? You might find it hard to verify the relevant experience of freelancers.
Remember that you need to own and manage the entire project. You can’t get any project management support from Upwork, which is the same as the other freelance platforms.
3. PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour.com is a freelance platform. This is a general-purpose freelance network, too. You can hire software developers here, including Java programmers.
Despite a few unique characteristics, the overall functioning of freelance platforms is the same. You need to open an account and post your Java project requirements.
When freelancers apply, you need to shortlist, interview, check their background, and hire. PeoplePerHour has a user-friendly contracting process. You own the risks since the company won’t provide any project management support.
4. Fiverr
Fiverr is yet another general-purpose freelance network with its headquarters in Israel. You can hire Java developers on Fiverr just as you can hire other freelancers. Create a user account and post your job requirements.
Shortlist applicants and interview them. Fiverr provides an easy-to-use contracting process. Hire suitable freelancers using this process, and subsequently, manage the project and the risks entirely on your own.
5. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is a large freelance network that is headquartered in Australia. Yet another general-purpose freelance platform, Freelancer.com, operates largely similar to other freelance networks.
Companies hire Java developers on this platform, and you can do so too. Remember that the entire hiring effort is on you. You also own the subsequent risks.
6. Toptal
Toptal is a freelance platform with its headquarters in the US. Toptal has a key difference from other freelance platforms. The company primarily focuses on software development, however, it covers a few more skills too.
Toptal claims that only the top 3% of software developers are on their network. That points to an extensive vetting process. You can then expect to get high-quality Java developers from Toptal.
You do need to own the entire hiring and project management, though. Naturally, you do need to mitigate all of the risks associated with freelancers.
Conclusion
I have explained in detail how to hire Java developers. Having said that, I stress that DevTeam.Space should be your first choice.
You can hire senior Java developers from DevTeam.Space is much easier than the other options. Not only that, but you can get highly skilled Java developers at DevTeam.Space, but the hiring process is very efficient. Our developers can start working for you within 72 hours of your request.
Whether you want the best Java developer or an efficient Java development team, DevTeam.Space can support you. The company also delivers Java enterprise, web, or mobile development projects from the beginning to the end.
We offer flexibility, transparency, and value in our contracting processes. You will find our pricing match with the value we provide.
The DevTeam.Space Java development services focus on quality. Our extensive vetting processes help you senior Java developers easily.
We offer a risk-free trial period of one week. In the unlikely event that a developer doesn’t fit your project, you get a replacement at no additional cost.
Our world-class development processes help our developers deliver value. Your project management can become easier thanks to our AI-powered Agile processes and a dedicated tech account manager.
You get a complementary QA service from us before the release. This further helps deliver high-quality software by finding defects on time.
We have a 99% project success rate over 300+ projects. We can help with your Java project too! Fill out the DevTeam.Space Java developer hiring form, and you will soon hear from us.
