Apple has established itself as a leading platform with millions of users worldwide, using macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Therefore, it’s not surprising that creating iOS apps is a desirable goal for many developers. Especially given the high number of potential clients who use Apple devices. All Apple devices, from iPhones to iPods to Mac laptops, and iPod Touch come with the iOS operating system. Apple provides various tools and resources to facilitate app creation. That makes it easier for developers to program in native languages such as Swift or Objective-C. These tools allow an iOS app developer to create, test, and modify apps while adhering to Apple’s standards and goals.

There are three primary levels of iOS developers: junior, middle, and senior. These levels are based on a developer’s experience and expertise with different projects. The distinction between these levels is fundamental, and it’s essential to consider them when selecting a developer.

Levels of iOS App Developer Based on Experience

Junior iOS App Developer

The term “junior iOS developer” refers to a newcomer to the iOS development industry with minimal experience. Typically, these individuals have a fundamental understanding of iOS and associated frameworks, having gained their knowledge through a university degree or enrollment in boot camps and developer courses.

While junior developers cannot independently undertake a project, they can support senior developers and take on smaller tasks. On average, it takes approximately four years for a junior iOS app developer to progress to a mid-level or senior position. If you are seeking to hire iOS developers for a project with a looming deadline, it may not be advisable to hire a junior developer. In contrast, it is preferable to recruit a junior developer when building a permanent in-house team, providing them with the opportunity to learn from more experienced team members.

Middle-Level iOS App Developer

A multitude of projects will have been developed by a mid-level iOS developer, having worked as an iOS app developer for a minimum of 2-4 years. This tenure affords them the ability to independently handle projects from inception to culmination, in addition to possessing an adeptness in UI/UX app design processes. 

Beyond the acumen of a junior developer, a mid-level professional should possess a command of the Swift and Objective-C programming languages, as well as a comprehension of Core Data, SQLite, and offline caching logic. Furthermore, they should demonstrate substantial proficiency in concurrency and asynchronous programming within the realm of iOS, as well as experience with Core Location, store kit, and map kit. A clear comprehension of push notifications is also an essential asset. Ultimately, the mid-level developer should understand the intricacies of signing and deploying apps to App Store Connect.

Senior iOS App Developer

A senior iOS developer boasts of a professional tenure of over five years, having overseen numerous projects and accomplished the deployment process with ease. Typically, these developers are highly organised, with a firm grasp of leadership skills. On a daily basis, senior iOS app developers tackle highly intricate tasks, including the testing, debugging, and review of code. An essential component of their role entails driving significant architectural decisions throughout app development, particularly on challenging features. 

Additionally, senior developers mentor and advise junior and middle developers, while structuring the technical documentation necessary for further application development. They also outline and execute development standards that align with industry best practices and current trends. Moreover, senior developers run candidate interviews and validate potential candidates for positions. Other responsibilities would be outlining job requirements and demands, setting targets and deadlines, managing development teams or junior and mid-level developers, taking interviews and a lot more. 

Skills to Look for in an iOS App Developer

In order to effectively utilise the diverse levels of experience offered by iOS developers, it is essential to strategically plan their roles and responsibilities. By defining their roles and responsibilities at the outset, programmers are offered the clarity they require to perform optimally.

The best approach would be to allocate tasks as per the developer’s level of seniority. For example, you can assign coding and testing tasks to junior iOS developers. Mid-level iOS programmers, on the other hand, can not only stick to coding and testing. They also have to coordinate with testing and DevOps teams to ensure smooth project execution. Senior iOS software engineers, ideally, should not be assigned a significant amount of basic coding and testing tasks. Instead, you should ask them to contribute inputs towards  architectural decision-making, UI design, test planning, test case preparation, code review, and quality control activities.

It is important to note that iOS development extends beyond coding, requiring a well-rounded team that possesses diverse skill sets. At DevTeam.Space, we offer comprehensive iOS development services that not only provide technical expertise in programming languages, frameworks, and processes-methods-and-tools (PM&T) but also support all the above-mentioned responsibilities. Our software development teams consist of field experts, ensuring the delivery of optimal solutions for your project needs.

Soft Skills & Portfolio

A software engineer’s portfolio serves as a platform to display their skills and previous projects. This enables a comprehensive evaluation of their competency for the job position. It allows potential employers to analyse their expertise, competencies, and proficiency with tools employed in previous projects,. Hence, facilitating a more effective shortlisting of suitable candidates with relevant experience. Thus, it is highly recommended to scrutinise the developer’s portfolio before hiring an iPhone app developer to ensure the most qualified candidates are selected.

Soft skills are a crucial consideration during the recruitment process of software developers. Often, developers work collaboratively in teams to brainstorm and communicate ideas, sometimes with clients and colleagues lacking technical expertise. Effective communication skills are essential for better team collaboration and interaction with clients. Additionally, employers need to evaluate whether candidates exhibit a cooperative mindset and possess the ability to work with people from various cultural backgrounds.

Other Factors To Consider

In recent years, the cultural fit has gained significant importance in the hiring process of iOS developers. Despite a candidate’s experience or skill set, there is a chance that they may not seamlessly integrate with your team. Hence, resulting in your needs not being met.

A cultural divide can quickly result in misunderstandings and conflicts, which can be detrimental to the work environment. Furthermore, working with individuals from different cultural backgrounds can present challenges. Some of them would be prejudices, language barriers, and other issues, which can hinder workflow.

To ensure timely completion of tasks, it is crucial to hire iOS developers who can easily integrate with your team and share a similar mindset.