Tips to find and hire top Python developers

What are you exactly looking for? Is it better to work together with a software house or hire a freelancer? What is the basic criterion while choosing the developer? Let’s find out! 

Web application development and other use cases for Python

If you are searching for top Python developers, most likely you are planning to build a web application, desktop GUI app or simply to create a (responsive) website. You might also need a Python developer when it comes to data analysis, machine learning and computer vision. Automating everyday tasks is as well something that you can do with this general purpose and high programming language. Having in mind all those possibilities, it is necessary to understand that a different goal requires slightly different skills. As every programming language Python is a tool - and the craftsman is the developer. However, due to many applications of the programming language (you can check most of them in our What is Python used for guide), it is necessary to understand it first, even a bit. Only then you can be sure that you know who are you searching for and therefore hire a dev that suits your needs best. 

What should a Python developer know?

If you have checked what Python is all about, now you are able to set the minimum level of skills required and based on that choose your developer. We will also discuss the difference between hiring a software house and a freelancer but the skillset remains the same for both cases. 

Regardless of knowledge of Python itself, its syntax and semantics, obviously, the dev (team) should understand in-depth Python frameworks (whichever you use in your project, but most likely it would be Django or in case of a smaller-scale project, then Flask - but those are not the only ones in common use). Another skill required is at least basic knowledge of Object Relational Mapper (ORM) and familiarity with front-end (as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript) in case of web applications. A Python dev should also be able to use RESTful API, databases and understand how System Administration works. Of course, it all depends on the project and there might be much more. If you are still not sure what the developer should know before hiring, check the official Python website to see which frameworks and libraries would fit into your project. Bear it in mind while searching for a perfect match. 

Moreover, your Python developer or in general a dev team should have the ability to write tests and know how to optimize the code. It goes together with critical thinking and problem-solving approach.

A software house or a freelancer

Which one would be a better solution for your project? Best software development firms might cost more if you compare it with a regular freelancer but offer much more. Of course, you can also find a freelancer that will charge you more than a software house but this depends on the agreement you make.  How to find balance?

First of all, estimate the scale and lifespan of your project, then think about the time aspect and your budget. There are plenty of factors that you need to take into account before making up your mind. 

On one hand, a software house will probably charge you more than a freelancer and it might take more time to close the deal but on the other, a freelancer might not be enough or simply could drop the task (or have a sick leave). Additionally, depending on your agreement, you need to have in mind what to do when a bug appears or you need to customize some part of your project. This seems a lot to take care of, right? If your project is on a larger scale and your business depends on the outcome, consider hiring an outsourced software company.  If you don’t know where to search for recommendations to find the Python dev dream team, try popular services like Clutch.co, AppFutura. When it comes to best software companies, it is enough to dig into recommendations, check the offer, talk with the sales team and start the project. 

However, if you are up to hire a freelancer, you need to put some more effort into your research. 

Freelancers in the Techworld 

Searching for a trustworthy freelancer that will write a quality code for you might be extremely simple or a pure nightmare - like in every industry. However, with programmers, the great thing is that their code speaks for them and no matter what is included in the CV, you will know if this is the right candidate. Of course, if you don’t have some prior programming knowledge it would be better to ask an expert while recruiting your developer. Same goes for hiring in-house programmers. 

There are few places on the internet where programmers unite - sharing knowledge, learning, asking questions and giving answers to common problems. Check programmers with high reputation points on Stack Overflow or even get involved in a community. You will know in a breeze with whom it is easy to communicate, which soft skills this developer has and what is his/her knowledge level in programming. Additionally, a huge community has gathered in Python.org. Another great platform is GitHub - it is like a business card of a programmer. You can see the repositories and commitments of a particular dev and just read the code, of course, it works only for public repositories. 

This is a more advanced search, but you can also try something more intuitive like checking websites for freelancers. Many programmers are working remotely or regardless of their full-time job, like to dig in the code also after it. Some of the best places to find top Python developers are services like Toptal, Hired, Upwork, GitHub Jobs, People Per Hour, Freelancer, Guru.)

The final choice

Well, it all depends on your project and needs. Web application development is a process and picking up the right people to work with is an extremely important part. 

For small-scale projects or debugging something that you already have, a freelancer or in-house Python developer might be a better solution. However, for larger ideas, where not only a developer is needed but self-managed full-stack SCRUM-team including a project manager, SCRUM master, UX designer, also a quality assurance team and so on - consider a software house. You can be sure that they will deal with software development process comprehensively and without delay.

There are pros and cons for each solution so think about it critically while the success of your project rests often in hands of the developer.