Android Skills

All about Android

What is Android?

Android is an open-source mobile operating system created by Google. Globally, it is the most popular operating system, followed by Apple’s iOS, making Android skills frequently in demand. Applications for Android are typically developed in Java, though Kotlin may also be used. Limited support exists for Go.

Whereas iOS is designed to run exclusively on Apple mobile devices, any mobile device manufacturer can include Android. Google provides a set of guidelines that devices should use to standardize the experience.

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What to use Android skills for

Here are some key applications of Android development:

Consumer Apps: Engineers often use Android to build consumer-facing applications like social networking apps, messaging apps, e-commerce apps, and entertainment apps. These apps leverage features like push notifications, location services, and in-app purchases to provide personalized and engaging experiences to users.
Enterprise Apps: Android is also used for building enterprise applications like productivity tools, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) apps, and inventory management systems. These apps enable businesses to streamline operations, improve productivity, and enhance communication and collaboration among employees.
Gaming Apps: Android is a popular platform for developing mobile games, ranging from casual puzzle games to high-end 3D games. Developers can use game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine to create immersive gaming experiences with stunning graphics, realistic physics, and multiplayer capabilities.
IoT (Internet of Things) Apps: Android can be used for building IoT applications that connect and control smart devices like home appliances, wearable devices, and IoT sensors. Developers can use Android Things, Google’s IoT platform, to build connected devices and IoT solutions that integrate with the Android ecosystem.
Wearable Apps: Android is compatible with wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers, opening up opportunities for building apps that run on these devices. Developers can create wearable apps that track fitness activities, receive notifications, and interact with other Android devices seamlessly.

Companies of all sizes use Hired to find engineers with Android skills

Android skills salaries

Curious about Agile developer salary ranges? Check out Hired’s Salary Calculator and our most recent tech compensation data report.

What is an Android developer?

Here’s what it means to be an Android developer:

Proficiency in Android SDK: An Android developer is fluent in using the Android SDK to develop and deploy Android applications. They are familiar with Android’s component-based architecture, activity lifecycle, intents, services, and content providers. They also know how to use them to build robust and scalable applications.
UI/UX Design Skills: An Android developer has skills in UI/UX design for creating visually appealing and intuitive user interfaces. They understand Android’s material design principles, layout managers, and resource qualifiers, and know how to design layouts that adapt to different screen sizes, densities, and orientations.
Programming Languages: An Android developer is proficient in programming languages like Java or Kotlin, which are used for developing Android applications. They know how to write clean, modular, and maintainable code, and how to leverage language features and libraries to implement app logic and functionality effectively.
Debugging and Testing: An Android developer is familiar with debugging and testing techniques for ensuring app quality and reliability. They know how to use Android Studio’s debugging tools, write unit tests and integration tests with JUnit and Espresso, and perform manual and automated testing to identify and fix bugs and issues.
Performance Optimization: An Android developer has skills in performance optimization for improving app responsiveness, battery life, and memory usage. They understand best practices for optimizing app startup time, reducing CPU and memory overhead, and minimizing network latency and data transfer, and know how to apply them to enhance app performance and user experience.

Most important Android developer skills in 2024

Here are some of the most important skills for Android developers in 2024:

Modern Android Development: Android developers need skills in modern Android development techniques and libraries for building high-quality and maintainable applications. They should be familiar with libraries like Jetpack, Architecture Components, Kotlin Coroutines, and Compose, and know how to use them to adopt modern Android development patterns like MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) and reactive programming.
Cross-Platform Development: Android developers should have skills in cross-platform development for building applications that run on both Android and iOS platforms. They should be familiar with frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin, and know how to write platform-agnostic code and UI components that work across different mobile platforms.
Machine Learning and AI Integration: Android developers need skills in machine learning and AI integration for building intelligent applications that leverage predictive analytics and data-driven insights. They should understand Android’s support for machine learning models and APIs like TensorFlow Lite and ML Kit, and know how to integrate machine learning models into Android applications to enhance functionality and user experience.
Cloud Integration and Backend Services: Android developers should have skills in integrating with cloud services and backend systems for storing data, processing requests, and handling business logic. They should be familiar with cloud platforms like Firebase, AWS, and Azure, and know how to use services like Firebase Realtime Database, Cloud Firestore, and AWS Lambda to build scalable and reliable backend services for Android applications.

How Hired helps find Android Engineers

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Why should you hire Android developers?

Hiring Android developers can bring numerous benefits to your organization:

Mobile Presence: Android developers enable you to establish a strong presence in the mobile market by building high-quality and engaging applications for the Android platform, reaching millions of users worldwide.
Innovation and Differentiation: Android developers bring creativity and innovation to your projects, enabling you to differentiate your brand and offerings with unique and innovative features that delight users and drive engagement and retention.
Market Opportunity: Android developers help you tap into the growing market opportunity presented by the Android ecosystem, enabling you to capitalize on the widespread adoption of Android devices and the increasing demand for mobile applications across diverse industries and regions.

Assess tech candidates for Android skills

Looking for candidates skilled in Android? Technical assessments are a multi-pronged solution. They allow you to streamline the hiring process and reduce bias with tech skill-focused benchmarks.

Hired Assessments offers a library of hundreds of questions and customizable coding challenge campaigns tailored to technical preferences. Centralize and standardize your evaluation process as you surface top talent with specific, hard-to-find skills.

See how Mastercard and Axon used Hired Assessments to vet top candidates. Check out other Customer Success Stories.

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Android resources

Check out our resources to continue sharpening your Android skills. Get more resources for jobseekers and learn how Hired helps people like you find their next dream job.

Hired profiles help developers showcase their top tech skills

After passing Hired skills assessments, candidates have the chance to showcase their skills to employers. They can opt to present an ‘Assessments’ badge on their profile. Candidates may take various assessments including Programming Skills, Full Stack, Backend, Frontend, iOS, Android, Debugging, Dev Ops Generalist, and Dev Ops AWS.

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