Essential Prescreening Questions to Ask When Hiring a Senior Android Developer

What is your experience with Android SDK and Android Studio?

Developing for Android requires a deep understanding of both Android SDK and Android Studio. The Android SDK, or Software Development Kit, provides the libraries and tools necessary for building apps. On the other hand, Android Studio, the official IDE for Android development, offers a powerful code editor and developer tools. This question will help you understand the candidate's familiarity and proficiency with these fundamental tools.

Have you worked with remote data via REST and JSON?

Most modern Android applications require interaction with web services, typically through REST APIs, using JSON as the data format. This question probes into the candidate's experience with these technologies, which are essential for data-driven applications.

Do you have experience with third-party libraries and APIs?

Third-party libraries and APIs save developers from reinventing the wheel, allowing them to focus on the unique aspects of their application. Familiarity with popular libraries and APIs demonstrates a candidate's ability to leverage existing resources and their understanding of the wider Android ecosystem.

Can you describe your experience with offline storage, threading, and performance tuning on Android?

These are fundamental aspects of Android development. Offline storage enables apps to maintain functionality even without network connectivity. Threading is crucial for performance, ensuring that intensive tasks don't block the user interface. Performance tuning involves optimizing the app to minimize resource usage. This question gauges a candidate's understanding of these aspects and their ability to build efficient Android applications.

Do you have proficiency in Kotlin or Java?

Java was the standard language for Android development, but Kotlin is now the preferred language, as declared by Google. Proficiency in these languages is crucial for an Android developer. This question will help determine the candidate's coding skills and their ability to write clean, efficient code.

Have you worked on applications with a large user base?

Developing for a large user base presents unique challenges, including performance optimization, data management, and user interface design. It also involves handling feedback from a diverse set of users. A candidate's experience in this area can provide valuable insights into their ability to work on large-scale projects.

Are you familiar with Android UI design principles, patterns, and best practices?

The user interface is a critical part of any app, and Android has its own set of design principles and best practices. This question will help you evaluate a candidate's understanding of Android's UI design philosophy and their ability to create user-friendly apps.

Do you have experience with Android testing frameworks?

Testing is an essential part of software development, ensuring that apps work as expected and bugs are caught before they reach the users. Android provides its own set of testing frameworks, and experience with these frameworks is a key asset for any Android developer.

How familiar are you with code versioning tools such as Git?

Version control systems like Git are indispensable tools for modern software development, enabling teams to collaborate effectively and keep track of changes. Familiarity with these tools is a must for any developer, and especially for a senior developer who will likely be working in a team environment.

Have you worked in an Agile or Scrum development process before?

Agile and Scrum are popular methodologies in software development, emphasizing iterative development, collaboration, and flexibility. Experience with these methodologies indicates a candidate's ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Can you describe your experience with Google's Android design principles and interface guidelines?

Google has specific design principles and interface guidelines for Android apps to ensure a consistent and intuitive user experience across devices. Understanding these guidelines is crucial for creating apps that feel at home on Android.

Do you have experience with continuous integration?

Continuous integration is a development practice where developers integrate code into a shared repository frequently, preferably several times a day. This practice, coupled with automated build and automated tests, helps detect problems early. Experience with continuous integration can indicate a developer's commitment to quality and efficient workflows.

Have you ever worked on a project where you had to maintain the quality and automatization of code?

Code quality and automation are vital aspects of modern software development, contributing to maintainability, efficiency, and overall software quality. This question will help you determine a candidate's understanding of these principles and their ability to apply them in their work.

Can you describe your experience with cloud message APIs and push notifications?

Push notifications are a common feature in mobile apps, and they require integration with cloud messaging APIs. This question will help you gauge the candidate's experience with these technologies and their ability to implement features that rely on server-side interactions.

Have you ever worked on a project that required you to deal with Android's fragmentation issues?

Android's fragmentation, the wide variety of Android versions and devices in use, is a well-known challenge for Android developers. This question will help you understand how a candidate approaches this issue and their ability to create apps that work well across a wide range of devices and Android versions.

Do you have experience with Google Play Store submission process?

Submitting an app to the Google Play Store involves more than just uploading the APK. It includes setting up the app's listing, filling out various forms, and following Google's policies. Understanding this process is essential for an Android developer, as it affects how the app is presented to potential users.

Do you have experience in developing applications that support different Android devices and screen sizes?

Android runs on a huge variety of devices, from phones to tablets to TVs, each with different screen sizes and resolutions. Building apps that look and work well on all these devices is a key skill for an Android developer. This question will help you evaluate a candidate's ability to create versatile Android applications.

Do you have any experience with Material Design?

Material Design is Google's design language for Android and other platforms. It provides a comprehensive guide for visual, motion, and interaction design across platforms and devices. Experience with Material Design indicates a developer's understanding of Android's visual identity and their ability to create apps that feel at home on the platform.

Have you used Android Jetpack components before?

Android Jetpack is a suite of libraries, tools, and guidance to help developers write high-quality apps easier. These components help to follow best practices, free developers from writing boilerplate code, and simplify complex tasks, all with the goal of making it easy to build robust, high-quality apps.

Can you describe a challenging Android project you've worked on and how you overcame those challenges?

This question serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it allows the candidate to showcase their problem-solving skills and ability to overcome obstacles. Secondly, it provides insight into what the candidate considers a 'challenge,' potentially revealing areas where their skills may need further development.