Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Firebase Developers

Firebase Developer Demand Remains High

To consolidate and conserve resources while at the same time enhancing efficiency, companies are integrating a wide variety of tools, such as authentication, storage, analytics, APIs, and machine learning, among others. While they may benefit from the tools individually, companies seldom need a complete custom infrastructure for each.

Enter Firebase, which offers an enterprise-level software suite to address most technological needs for companies that prioritize running a scalable, highly tailored infrastructure.

Firebase is a web and mobile application development platform whose popularity has skyrocketed since its acquisition by Google in 2014. Media giants The New York Times and Le Figaro, as well as notable corporations like eBay Motors, have implemented Firebase to build dynamic web and mobile apps.

With so many big players competing to find Firebase developers in a relatively small pool of qualified engineers, locating the right person to fill a role can pose a challenge.

This hiring guide explores the specific attributes that set apart expert Firebase developers from average ones, laying out what a Firebase developer does and how to identify one who is suited to your company’s business needs. This guide provides tips for writing effective job posts and composing Firebase interview questions, as well as navigating the interview and assessment processes.

What attributes distinguish quality Firebase Developers from others?

A Firebase developer uses the extensive Firebase back-end-as-a-service (BaaS) suite of tools to provide clients with a complete and tailored back-end infrastructure—without incurring the added costs and overhead of server and data management.

A quality Firebase developer has attained a notable level of experience and expertise with the suite, applying the product’s main features and tools skillfully.

What are the main features of Firebase that a developer should know?

Popular Firebase tools that a skilled, experienced developer should be proficient in include:

Which core experiences and skills should candidates possess?

Mobile development experience – Firebase is one of the top solutions for mobile platforms. It integrates with native and hybrid mobile apps; therefore, an expert developer must have mobile development experience, including user authentication and authorization, persisting data in real-time databases, and an understanding of REST API to facilitate communication with a back end.

Full-stack knowledge – An expert developer’s understanding of proper front- and back-end design patterns gives them a unique and comprehensive perspective on the project and its intra- and intersystem communications. In Firebase, all tools are considered full stack. This enables the developer to pick the best tools and technologies for a specific job.

Server and serverless experience – An understanding of the core principles of serverless solutions makes it easier for a developer to recognize and anticipate the bottlenecks associated with each service. An expert developer also understands what’s happening under the hood and is therefore better able to lead a company in the right direction.

What complementary technology skills are required for Firebase?

A Firebase engineer with substantial and varied cross-platform experience will stand apart from the rest. The following technologies are especially relevant:

How can you identify the ideal Firebase Developer for you?

To identify the ideal candidate for your organization, you must first identify your specific business needs and use cases. For example, if you are integrating Firebase for the first time, note the problem you’re trying to solve in as much detail as possible. Alternatively, if you are trying to augment an existing implementation, specify all the Firebase tools you have integrated already, such as Authentication or Firestore.

Knowing which tools are needed for your project enables you to focus your search on candidates who possess those Firebase developer skills. For instance, if your project entails sending push notifications, you will want to hire a Firebase developer who is experienced in Firebase Cloud Messaging. If you are building a mobile app with Realtime capabilities, you’ll do well to hire a Firebase engineer with a background in Firebase Realtime Database or Firestore.

What is the difference between Firebase and MongoDB developers?

The Firebase developer is familiar with the comprehensive Firebase platform, which provides cloud and remote security services. They are proficient with integrating Firebase’s straightforward API into apps.

In contrast, a MongoDB developer is ideally suited to manage the storage of large amounts of real-time data. They are adept at executing the advanced security practices recommended for the MongoDB database.

How do you determine the level of experience you need?

Let’s identify what can be expected with each level of Firebase talent. The following table addresses the question: What will a Firebase developer do for you?

With your problem statement in mind, you can pinpoint the skills gaps that need to be filled. For example, a junior developer is suited for a straightforward project such as performing the maintenance that keeps your app up to date.

A mid-level or senior developer’s deeper understanding of Firebase makes them capable of integrating and supporting a library that impacts the app’s behavior. A senior developer can be trusted to recommend and implement optimal solutions in cases where you have stated a problem and a solution has not been previously identified.

Compensation of a junior developer is predictably lower than that of a mid-level or senior Firebase developer. While a senior developer will cost you more, their engagement will be a sound investment in the successful outcome of your project. As such, weigh your options and choose the right level for the job you need done.

How to Write a Firebase Developer Job Description for Your Project

To grab the attention of the best engineers, it’s important to provide a thorough and detailed description of the Firebase developer position you are attempting to fill. Be thoughtful when choosing a job title. Ensure it is aptly phrased to allow applicants to quickly assess whether the job might be a fit. For example, a position titled “Lead Firebase developer” might appeal to a seasoned veteran engineer but not to a junior developer.

Add a detailed, line-by-line description of the Firebase developer’s daily, monthly, even annual responsibilities. Be organized, descriptive, accurate, and concise. Include both hard and soft skills in brief bullet-point format and list any specific Firebase services you intend to use.

What are the most important Firebase Developer interview questions?

During an interview, assess whether a candidate is a good fit for the company. Ask questions that lead them to describe their background, hard skills, soft skills, and specific strengths.

You’ll need to formulate additional interview questions that are specific to the Firebase features and services your project requires. Concentrate on your project’s focus—mobile, web, and/or full stack.

Here is a sampling of technical, Firebase-specific questions and examples of the types of answers you should expect from developers:

How can I use Firebase to support my mobile app?

Out-of-the-box Firebase features like Analytics, Push Notifications, SSO Authentication, and Realtime Database support mobile apps. Each feature, in its base form, can be integrated into a mobile app in just a day or two.

How can I use Firebase to support my website?

The majority of Firebase tools can be used with almost any web framework. After a simple integration, your front end can connect directly to any Firebase service. For example, most databases require a back-end server connection to manage data. But through the proper configuration of Firebase’s authorization tools, your front end can connect directly to a database, with no server requirement. A similar thing can be said about Firebase Authentication and Cloud Storage. Each can be configured to connect directly to your front end, eliminating the overhead of a dedicated server.

What if I need a server to leverage something like Stripe?

Third-party payment processing tools like Stripe require that a server assess and respond appropriately to payments. By deploying a containerized serverless function through Firebase Cloud Functions, we can achieve this with minimal overhead—no separate infrastructure is required outside of Firebase.

Why do companies hire Firebase Developers?

Companies hire Firebase developers to build web and mobile apps. Firebase scales impressively for companies that expect to hit the ground running—from minimum viable product to full-scale production.

Firebase engineers who expertly navigate through the Firebase suite of tools can address a broad range of technological requirements. To ensure a smooth transition when migrating or expanding an existing project, companies consult with a senior Firebase developer to learn which Firebase tools are most compatible with their objectives and systems.

While most dedicated infrastructure requires a collection of experts, the unification of Firebase’s tools and their ability to work together seamlessly allow you to start with one developer and scale based on speed requirements rather than technical requirements.

The overhead of the standard server-based model for maintaining a database includes an infrastructure that requires an impressive server setup time, as well as a team of dedicated engineers—front end, back end, and DevOps—to manage and orchestrate secure and efficient interservice communications. Typically, when you scale an infrastructure to accommodate more traffic, both your costs and the size of your engineering team increase.

When considering Firebase’s BaaS approach versus other database alternatives—specifically, the server-based model—Firebase does away with the associated overhead and costs. Firebase trims not only your setup time, but also your team size. Realistically, so long as you include one Firebase expert, the remaining developers on the team can continue to write code and implement your company’s business logic instead of maintaining hefty infrastructure and operations.

The technical content presented in this article was reviewed by Khachatur Hambardzumyan.