Drupal Developer Hiring Guide

In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, Drupal has emerged as a preferred choice for developers in 2023. Its flexibility, customization options, robustness, security, extensive community support, and integration capabilities make it an ideal platform for developers to bring their visions to life. Drupal continues to be the preferred choice of developers for building dynamic and scalable websites and applications. As the digital landscape evolves, Drupal remains at the forefront, empowering developers to create innovative and impactful digital experiences. As the demand for Drupal grows, so does the need for talented Drupal developers. 

1.0 Key insights about Drupal

Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) that empowers developers to build and manage websites and web applications with ease. It offers a flexible and extensible platform that can handle a wide range of digital experiences, from simple websites to complex enterprise-level applications. Key insights you need to have about Drupal are presented below:

• Flexibility and Customization: With Drupal, developers have complete control over the design, layout, and functionality of their websites. It provides an extensive library of modules, themes, and distributions, allowing developers to tailor their projects to meet specific requirements.
• Robust and Scalable: Drupal is known for its robustness and scalability, making it an ideal choice for projects of any size and complexity. It can handle high-traffic websites without compromising performance, ensuring a seamless user experience.
• Security and Reliability: In an era where data breaches and cyber threats are prevalent, Drupal stands out for its strong security measures. Its dedicated security team constantly monitors and addresses vulnerabilities, ensuring that websites built on Drupal are secure and reliable. 
• Extensive Community and Support: Drupal boasts a thriving community of developers, designers, and enthusiasts who actively contribute to its growth. This vibrant community provides extensive support, documentation, and resources, making it easier for developers to learn, troubleshoot, and collaborate.
• Integration Capabilities: Drupal is highly compatible and integrates seamlessly with a wide range of third-party systems and applications including e-commerce platforms, social media, and more. This integration capability allows developers to extend the functionality of their websites and leverage existing systems, saving time and effort.

2.0 Benefits companies get by hiring Drupal developers

• Expertise in Drupal Development: Hiring Drupal developers provides companies with access to professionals who possess in-depth knowledge and expertise in Drupal development. These developers are skilled in working with Drupal’s robust framework, allowing companies to leverage its powerful features and capabilities.
• Customized and Scalable Solutions: Drupal developers are adept at creating customized and scalable solutions tailored to meet the unique requirements of businesses. They can develop and implement Drupal-based websites, applications, and modules that align with the company’s specific needs, ensuring a seamless and efficient digital presence.
• Enhanced Security Measures: Drupal developers have a deep understanding of website security and implement best practices to protect company data and user information. They can ensure that the Drupal website is equipped with the necessary security features, including regular updates, patches, and vulnerability assessments, minimizing the risk of potential cyber threats.
• Seamless Integration with Third-Party Systems: Drupal developers possess the skills and expertise to seamlessly integrate Drupal with various third-party systems and tools. This enables companies to integrate their Drupal website with existing systems such as CRM, e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, and social media platforms, enhancing overall business functionality and user experience.
• Continuous Maintenance and Support: Hiring Drupal developers ensures ongoing maintenance and support for the Drupal website. They can monitor the website’s performance, address issues promptly, and provide regular updates and enhancements. 
• Cost-Effective Solutions: Drupal developers can provide cost-effective solutions to meet a company’s digital requirements. By leveraging Drupal’s open-source nature, developers can build and customize websites and applications without the need for expensive licensing fees. This makes Drupal an attractive choice for companies seeking high-quality and affordable digital solutions.

3.0 Looking to hire Drupal developers? Here is some essential pre-planning to consider!

Before hiring Drupal developers, companies need to follow a comprehensive process to ensure that they select the right candidates for their projects. 

Define the project scope and deliverables: This involves clearly outlining the goals and objectives of the project, identifying the specific features and functionalities required, and determining the timeline for completion. Companies can effectively communicate these requirements to potential Drupal developers, ensuring they understand the project’s objectives.

Identify project development requirements: This includes determining the necessary technical skills, experience, and expertise that the Drupal developers should possess. 

Evaluate project risks and budget: Companies need to assess the potential challenges and risks associated with the project and determine the budget allocated for hiring Drupal developers. This helps in setting realistic expectations and finding developers who can work within the given constraints.

Candidate’s prior portfolio of work: This involves reviewing the Drupal developers’ past projects, examining their code quality, and evaluating their ability to deliver high-quality solutions. By assessing the candidate’s prior work, companies can gain insights into their technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and attention to detail.

4.0 Drupal Developer Responsibilities

In order to ensure successful execution and maintenance of a project, Drupal developers need to fulfill several key responsibilities, which are presented below.

• Drupal’s core functionality:  Understanding Drupal’s core functionality and features is a fundamental responsibility of a Drupal developer. Drupal offers a robust set of features and functionalities that developers need to interact with effectively. This includes understanding Drupal’s architecture, its content management system, and its modular approach to development.
• Creating and configuring Drupal modules: Drupal modules are reusable code components that allow developers to extend the core functionality of the CMS. Developers must create custom modules to meet the requirements of specific projects. This involves understanding Drupal’s hook system, module coding standards, and best practices for module development.
• Creating Drupal themes and templates: Drupal themes provide a visual framework for a website or application. Drupal developers are responsible for designing the look and feel of Drupal sites, as well as implementing the required templates and layouts. This involves expertise in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as an understanding of Drupal’s theme layer and theming engine.
• Ensuring the safety and security of Drupal websites: Developers are responsible for implementing security measures, such as implementing access controls, securing the database, and configuring SSL certificates. They must also stay up to date with the latest security patches and updates issued by the Drupal community.
• Intuitive and user-friendly user interfaces (UIs):  They need to design UIs that are responsive and adapt to different screen sizes and devices. Drupal back-end developers are responsible for building and maintaining APIs and integrations. They need to create robust APIs that enable communication between Drupal and external applications. 

5.0 Tools and Libraries for Drupal Development:

• Drupal Console: This command-line interface tool is specifically designed for Drupal developers. It allows for efficient code generation, debugging, and integration with other tools.
• Drush: Drush is a powerful command-line tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for managing and administering Drupal websites. It enables developers to perform tasks such as site installation, module management, and database updates with ease.
• PhpStorm: PhpStorm is a popular integrated development environment (IDE) that offers robust support for Drupal development. It provides features like code completion, syntax highlighting, and debugging capabilities, making it easier for developers to write, test, and debug Drupal code.
• Git: Git is a widely used version control system that allows developers to track changes, collaborate with others, and manage code efficiently. It is essential for Drupal development, enabling developers to work on different features or bug fixes concurrently while maintaining code integrity.
• Composer: Composer is a dependency management tool for PHP that simplifies the process of installing, updating, and managing the libraries and extensions required for Drupal projects. It helps developers manage project dependencies and ensures that all necessary components are easily accessible.
• Twig: Twig is a flexible and powerful template engine used in Drupal 8 and later versions. It provides a clean and secure way to separate the presentation layer from the business logic, making it easier for developers to create and maintain Drupal themes.
• CKEditor: CKEditor is a popular WYSIWYG editor that integrates seamlessly with Drupal. It allows content editors to create and edit rich text content with ease, providing a user-friendly interface and various formatting options.
• Drupal Coding Standards: Drupal has its own coding standards that developers need to follow to ensure code consistency and maintainability. These standards cover areas such as naming conventions, code formatting, and best practices, helping developers write clean and readable code.
• Devel: Devel is a development tool that provides various debugging and profiling functionalities for Drupal developers. It includes features like code profiling, query logging, and theme debugging, allowing developers to identify and resolve performance issues efficiently.
• Views: Views is a powerful module in Drupal that allows developers to create, manage, and display dynamic content lists. It provides a flexible and intuitive interface for creating custom views and displaying data in various formats, making it a valuable tool for Drupal developers.

These tools and libraries are essential for Drupal development, enabling developers to streamline their workflow, enhance productivity, and create robust and scalable Drupal websites.

6.0  Evaluating Potential Candidates for Hiring Drupal Developers

When hiring Drupal developers, it is essential to evaluate potential candidates based on a combination of technical skills, soft skills, and fit with company culture.

6.1 Technical Skills

• To assess a candidate’s knowledge of Drupal, you can conduct a technical interview, evaluate their portfolio of previous work, or assign them a technical test. 
• To evaluate the candidate’s experience with Drupal projects, you can discuss past projects they have worked on, ask about the challenges they faced, and how they overcame them.
• Knowledge of Drupal is crucial for developers to succeed in their role. It should be evaluated based on their understanding of Drupal’s core concepts, such as modules, themes, and plugins. In addition, knowledge of Drupal’s best practices and standards is essential to ensure the stability and scalability of Drupal websites.
• Experience with Drupal projects is also important to assess. Look for candidates who have worked on projects similar to your requirements, preferably in various industries and with different complexity levels. 
• It is important to evaluate how the candidate contributed to the project’s success, such as managing deadlines, collaborating with team members, and addressing technical challenges.

6.2 Soft Skills

• Communication skills are essential for Drupal developers to collaborate with team members, clients, and external stakeholders. To evaluate communication skills, consider conducting a mock interview or asking the candidate to present a project or idea. Pay attention to their ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and confidently.
• Teamwork and leadership skills are crucial for Drupal developers working in teams. Assess their ability to collaborate with team members, resolve conflicts, and provide support to their peers. Look at their involvement in past projects and how they contributed to a positive team environment.

6.3 Company Culture

You want to ensure that your new team members will align with your company values and thrive in your existing team environment. To evaluate candidates’ fit with company culture, consider the following factors:

• Alignment with company values: Evaluate how closely the candidate’s values align with your company’s values. Look for candidates who share the same work ethic, passion for innovation, and commitment to delivering high-quality work.
• Flexibility and ability to learn: Drupal is a dynamic platform, and developers must continuously learn new skills to stay ahead. Evaluate the candidate’s willingness to embrace new technologies and adapt to changing requirements.
• Ask about their approach to learning new technologies and how they stay updated with recent developments in the Drupal community.

7.0 Where can expert Drupal developers be accessed?

When hiring Drupal developers, there are several avenues that can be explored to access potential candidates. Here is a list of places where you can find qualified individuals:

• Online recruitment platforms: There are numerous online platforms that cater specifically to job postings and hiring, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Monster. These platforms allow you to create job listings, search for candidates with specific skills and experience, and communicate directly with potential hires.
• Freelance platforms: If you are considering hiring a freelance Drupal developer, platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal can be great resources. These platforms connect businesses with freelancers who specialize in Drupal development, allowing you to review their profiles, portfolios, and client reviews before making a hiring decision.
• Conferences and hackathons: Drupal conferences and hackathons are excellent places to find skilled developers who are actively involved in the Drupal community. These events bring together professionals, enthusiasts, and experts in Drupal development, providing opportunities for networking and recruitment. Some popular Drupal conferences include DrupalCon and DrupalCamp.
• Online Drupal communities: Engaging with online Drupal communities can help you connect with developers who are passionate about Drupal and actively contribute to its development. Platforms like Drupal.org, Drupal Slack channels, and Drupal groups on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook provide spaces for discussions, collaboration, and recruitment.

By exploring these avenues, you can efficiently access potential candidates when hiring Drupal developers. Remember to tailor your approach based on your specific hiring needs and preferences.

8.0 Cost of hiring Drupal developers

The average hourly rates of hiring Drupal developers are influenced by various factors, including geographic location, level of experience, demand for Drupal developers, and the choice between hiring remote or committed on-site developers.

Geographic location plays a vital role in determining the average hourly rates of hiring Drupal developers, as illustrated below. Different regions or countries have different economic conditions, cost of living, and market demand for Drupal developers. Consequently, the rates can vary significantly depending on the location. For instance, hiring Drupal developers from countries with a higher cost of living and stronger economies may result in higher hourly rates compared to hiring developers from countries with lower costs of living.

The level of experience of Drupal developers is another crucial factor that influences their hourly rates. More experienced developers who have a proven track record of successfully delivering Drupal projects tend to command higher rates. This is because their expertise and skills are in high demand, and they bring a higher level of value to the table.

The demand for Drupal developers also affects the average hourly rates. If there is a high demand for Drupal developers in a particular market, the rates are likely to be higher due to the limited supply of skilled professionals. On the other hand, if the demand is low, the rates may be lower as developers compete for available projects.

The choice between hiring remote or committed on-site developers can also impact the average hourly rates. Remote developers often have flexibility and can work from anywhere, which may result in more competitive rates. On the contrary, hiring committed on-site developers may involve additional costs such as office space, equipment, and benefits, which could lead to higher hourly rates.

As your dedicated partner for sourcing expert tech talent, CloudDevs is here to support you hire talented Drupal developers. We understand that hiring processes take your time and efforts and is also not always error-free. 

CloudDevs is ready to offer you a seamless hiring experience as you source your Drupal developers. Reach out now to hire a highly-vetted Drupal developer!