How much does it cost to hire an offshore iOS developer?

iOS software development is a process of creating mobile applications for devices with the Apple operating system, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The main programming languages used to develop iOS software are Swift and Objective-C.

The main advantages of iOS development are the following:

• iOS-based applications are fast and simple to run.
• The security level allows for the development and ensures such features as Data privacy and user identity. iOS protects its devices from different frauds, such as data duplication, theft, and encryption.
• iOS mobile developers are more convenient with iOS unique software development kits (SDKs) and development tools available for them.
• iOS application development provides a great user experience with the help of a combination of hardware and software, customer support, very nice app interface.

iOS mobile app development is used for designing, developing, and maintaining software for all iOS-based devices. As this operating system (OS) was created exclusively for Apple hardware, it has led to several differences between this OS and others.

Among such differences is the use of two main programming languages: Swift and Objective-C. Although used mainly in iOS app development, Objective-C can also be used in other applications, while Swift is the language Apple created specifically for their software.

Here are the top tools which skilled iOS developers use to create high-quality applications.

• XCode. This tool was created by Apple to develop Swift applications. It is an efficient tool that allows devs to code, simultaneously test, and debug their applications.
• RxSwift. It is a massive library that provides asynchronous programming, the creation of dynamic iOS apps, and data interaction.
• Mockingbird. Mockingbird allows front-end developers to edit the user interface of the applications, share the code with other devs and create the clickable prototype of the software.
• Testflight. This framework allows devs to apply a view variety of testing options for their software. This tool also allows inviting users to test a beta version of the application.

iOS developer is an IT specialist who creates, designs, and maintains software for mobile devices running Apple’s iOS operating software. Their main responsibilities are to code, develop, test, debug and ensure the quality of applications. They have to be proficient in Objective-C and Swift, have experience in iOS software development, and have knowledge of frameworks (Core Data, Core Animation, etc.). When the development process is focused on cross-platform development, iOS engineers often work in cooperation with Android developers to create mobile applications for both operational systems.

Depending on the knowledge and experience of the developers, they are classified as junior, middle, and senior engineers.

• Junior iOS developers
  Junior iOS developers often just begin their path in programming, which means they are either on the Entry level or have up to two years of experience. Their role requires them to have basic knowledge of Swift or Objective-C and basic knowledge of frameworks (Swiftic, RxSwift, Realm) and libraries (SVProgressHUD, RxSwift, etc.). They also should be familiar with code versioning tools, such as Git, Mercurial, or SVN. Junior developers work on basic tasks and in teams with more skilled devs who can help and guide them.
• Middle iOS developers
  Middle developers have from three to five years of experience, which requires them to have advanced knowledge of Swift and Objective-C programming languages, advanced understanding of web technologies and UI/UX standards, iOS frameworks such as Core Data and Core Animation. These devs, due to their level of expertise, can provide their own software solutions and implement them in life.
• Senior iOS developers
  Senior iOS engineers have the most expertise and more than five years of experience. These developers know more than two programming languages and have advanced knowledge of iOS frameworks, libraries, low-level C-based libraries, cloud message APIs, and RESTful APIs. These developers are already fully independent and able to create their own applications from scratch, as well as produce the best software solutions for business. Senior software engineers also have advanced communication and management skills, as they often guide and help junior developers.

If you hire iOS software developers, you should know what tasks they usually have:

• Design and build software for the iOS platform;
• Proceed to debug and test options;
• Write clean, efficient, and readable code;
• Maintain and ensure the efficiency of the application.

Before hiring, you should check if the iOS mobile developer has all the needed skills to provide high-quality work. There is a list of skills the iOS dev should have:

• Experience in iOS programming;
• Experience with iOS frameworks (Alamofire, Moya, Swinject);
• Knowledge of programming languages (Swift, Objective-C, Java, C++, etc.);
• Knowledge of web technologies and UI/UX standards;
• Understanding of code versioning tools;
• Good soft skills to efficiently work in a team of developers.

When you hire software engineers, you often have several options to choose from: freelancers, in-house engineers, and outsourced developers.

• Freelance iOS developers
  Freelancers are a great option if you have some short-term projects or it is a type of task when you don’t need to involve the whole development team. Another good advantage of this hiring option is that you can hire freelancers very quickly and begin working on the project right the same day. They are also quite cheap as you only pay depending on their rates per hour. Although, freelancers have several disadvantages: they are not a very reliable option as they usually have several projects at the same time, which means a lack of attention and dedication. In addition, it may be a bit difficult to find skilled devs or those who will match all your requirements because many of those are already working on interesting projects in tech companies.
• In-house iOS developers
  If you are at the stage of core development and need a dedicated team of developers who can provide you with high-quality products, you should hire in-house engineers. Apart from being dedicated and high-skilled mobile developers, they are also very engaged and motivated about the project as they are a part of your company and want to help it grow. The drawback of the option is the high price of maintenance of the team and additional cash compensation.
• Outsourced iOS developers
  The last option is outsourcing which has two suboptions: outsourcing and staff augmentation. With outsourcing, you can hire the whole development team, including a product manager and QAs, to work on your project. The advantage of this option is that you will get an entire dedicated team of skilled developers to create your product from scratch. It also may be a cost-effective solution as developers are often outsourced from the countries with lower living costs Outstaffing allows you to hire one or several high-skilled engineers from reliable development agencies in a few days. It is also a cost-effective solution as you only pay for the working hours of the devs, and another extra spending is on the development agency.

When hiring iOS developers, a detailed job description can help you attract the best-matching devs with all the required skills. Here you can find steps on how and what to write in the job description to find the best iOS developers.

• Write the job title of the specialist you are looking for.
• List tech and soft skills you need the candidate to have.
• Write the responsibilities the developer will have.
• Write about your expectations of the end project.
• Describe in which field you work (such description will help to attract the developers who have experience in the same area and can come up with effective solutions).
• Write about the development stage (is it core development or maintenance).

To assess the candidate’s tech skills, you can use different types of tools: from online tests to live coding practices. Another type of assessment of tech skills is asking questions connected to the required technologies during the interview. Here we have gathered the list of questions you can ask the candidate to check their expertise:

• Explain the iOS App States.
• When would you use Core Data over NSUserDefault?
• What is the Responder Chain?
• Explain how an autorelease pool works at the runtime level.
• What is the purpose of the reuseIdentifier?
• What’s the difference between an “app ID” and a “bundle ID” and what is each used for?
• Compare and contrast the different ways of achieving concurrency in OS X and iOS.