Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Xamarin Developers

Growing Cross-platform Development Necessitates Skilled Xamarin Engineers

We live in a mobile-obsessed world—the mobile app market is estimated to have a CAGR of 13.9% from 2023 to 2030—where any modern business must have a strong presence on phones and tablets. With the need to accommodate a wide variety of devices, it can be challenging to develop applications that reliably provide a good user experience. As a result, cross-platform development is growing to meet these needs, boasting a high CAGR of 16.8%. Xamarin is a popular option among available mobile frameworks, and demand for Xamarin developers remains robust.

However, hiring a Xamarin developer comes with unique challenges—whether you plan to maintain an existing Xamarin app or migrate from Xamarin to .NET or from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI. Finding developers versed in both mobile app development (Android and iOS) and the Microsoft ecosystem can be difficult and time-consuming.

This hiring guide breaks down the critical skills and best practices to look for in Xamarin engineers and provides tips for writing a compelling job description and suggests interview questions to help you identify the top candidates. Finding the right Xamarin expert should ensure a smooth app experience for customers across various devices.

What attributes distinguish quality Xamarin Developers from others?

So, what does a Xamarin developer do? What technologies should they be comfortable using daily? Xamarin engineers are typically versed in C#, the .NET ecosystem, APIs, and mobile development—though they are not restricted to mobile devices. Xamarin is also used in the creation of macOS apps, Windows apps, and programs that can run on wearables and embedded devices.

Depending on project requirements, you may require a Xamarin engineer with knowledge of:

• Mobile or app development – Depending on your business priorities and which platforms are most important for your project, identify developers with the appropriate mobile or app development background (e.g., iOS, Android, macOS, Windows). Candidates need to be familiar with automated testing, architectural patterns, and UI/UX development.
• C# – Xamarin apps are built using C#, an object-oriented programming language common among .NET applications. A strong foundation of C# experience enables developers to navigate the Xamarin ecosystem effectively and build successful apps.
• .NET – Xamarin is part of .NET, extending it with cross-platform tools and capabilities. As such, it is critical that Xamarin developers have a solid understanding of the .NET framework, its most helpful features, and its latest versions.
• Visual Studio – Microsoft’s Visual Studio offers an integrated development environment (IDE) and equips an app developer with vital tools for development, deploying, debugging, and testing. (It has replaced tools such as Xamarin Studio and Xamarin Test Cloud.)
• APIs – App developers, especially mobile app developers, should have a command of APIs. In cross-platform apps built with Xamarin, data is typically processed outside the application. As such, candidates should be prepared to perform tests with tool like cURL and Postman.

Though many Xamarin developer skills overlap with the requirements for .NET or app development, Xamarin engineers are experts in developing code that is shared among operating systems and have specialized experience in building custom, reusable code solutions. Code reusability differentiates a developer who may know C# from a Xamarin expert.

Finally, strong communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and version-control skills will complement these specialized technical proficiencies. Soft skills enable developers to onboard with a team smoothly and collaborate.

How can you identify the ideal Xamarin Developer for you?

Whether you’ve chosen Xamarin to develop a new product or have an existing app that requires Xamarin expertise, you should define your skills gap at the start of the hiring process. These questions will help inform the skill requirements and developer level that best suits your needs:

• How complex is the project and its core business logic?
• What other technologies does the team use?
• Does your app require data collection or advanced API integrations?
• Does your project have large tech debt or existing bugs?
• What is your timeline and budget?

Deciding on a Junior, Mid-level, or Senior Xamarin Developer

When choosing between junior, mid-level, and senior Xamarin engineers, consider the skills gap you seek to close. Any engineer with a solid C# background can be regarded as a junior developer and can deliver results quickly on smaller projects (e.g., a simple form app). However, be prepared to allocate extra time and resources while they learn the fundamentals of the framework, which is not ideal if development time is your priority. Developers without a Xamarin background will have a steeper learning curve.

Mid-level developers are familiar with the nuances of the Xamarin framework and the most-used Xamarin patterns and objects. These include concepts like the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) design pattern, the Command class, .NET Standard Library (or its predecessor PCL), and .NET MAUI or its predecessor, Xamarin.Forms. Engineers at this level should be able to develop an app from scratch.

Finally, senior developers are highly skilled Xamarin experts who can make architectural decisions. They should know how to implement native Android or iOS solutions through Xamarin, use advanced debugging techniques, and identify and prevent memory issues on different operating systems. Senior Xamarin engineers know the differences between operating systems and devices, and can effectively deploy a product to various targets.

Hiring a mid-level or senior developer well-versed in Xamarin may pay off in the long term. Typically, the main goal of using a multiplatform development technology is to share most—if not all—of the code. Hiring someone without experience in designing efficient architecture and developing reusable, innovative solutions can lead to tech debt that will compound over time.

Considering Xamarin Versus Flutter Developers

One of Xamarin’s main competitors is Flutter, a growing cross-platform development framework backed by Google. You may wonder whether a Xamarin or Flutter expert will best suit your project needs.

Xamarin developers often best serve enterprise mobile applications because Xamarin is a more mature technology heavily integrated with the entire Microsoft ecosystem (e.g., Visual Studio, Office, Azure). Engineers can leverage Xamarin’s many tools to expedite an app’s development.

Each developer type has its pros and cons, and you may want the short answer to “Why hire Xamarin developers?” when choosing between these two types. In general, it makes sense to choose Xamarin experts for the fast development of enterprise mobile applications or if you already have a C# dedicated team.

How to Write a Xamarin Job Description for Your Project

A well-crafted job description that offers relevant details about your company, the role, and the project will attract top talent to apply for your posting. Start with a clear description of your project and application:

• What platforms are you targeting (e.g., is the project targeting only smartphones, including desktops, or tailored toward a niche platform like tvOS)?
• Will the app need to integrate with any external app, API, or system?
• Are you building an app from scratch or revamping an existing solution?
• What technology stack will be used, and what resources are available (e.g., mock-ups, storyboards)?

It is essential to clearly define the role’s responsibilities and technical requirements when hiring for Xamarin since its developers need a broad, specialized skill set across mobile development, .NET, and C#.

What are the most important Xamarin Developer interview questions?

Preparing practical interview questions in advance will prepare you for success and allow you to complete the hiring process quickly. A good candidate may be fielding several offers, and you may lose out on their expertise if you take too long to make a decision.

The following questions and answers offer insight into the thought processes and problem-solving approach developers should take during an interview. Detailed, clear answers will demonstrate that a candidate has at least some Xamarin experience.

Note: This list is not exhaustive, and you should tailor your questions toward your application platform and technology stack. For example, include questions about mobile, C#, and/or .NET as appropriate.

What is Xamarin.Forms? How can it be used for enterprise clients?

Xamarin.Forms is the starting point for cross-platform UI development in Xamarin. It is a framework that provides a variety of customizable pages, layouts, and controls to deliver native apps from a single codebase efficiently; it shares UI components among operating systems. The newest evolution of Xamarin.Forms is .NET MAUI, and developers who can speak to experience in both (or speak to experience with migrations) are exceptionally skilled in enterprise UI development.

Through its functional APIs and shared, built-in components, Xamarin.Forms facilitates faster development and maintainable code. This efficiency is essential for the larger and more complex codebases of Xamarin enterprise clients.

What is XAML? How is it used in Xamarin? Can you create a Xamarin.Forms Page without XAML?

XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language) is a programming language created by Microsoft. It is used in Xamarin to define and configure user interfaces in markup instead of code. It is similar to XML but has specific syntax differences (e.g., for property elements, attached properties, and markup extensions).

XAML is not required to describe a Page or View; they can be created programmatically instead. However, certain features will not be available (e.g., XAML Hot Reload), which could negatively affect the team’s productivity.

How does Xamarin increase an application’s ROI?

In general, Xamarin increases ROI by achieving development for multiple platforms with a single codebase. With the resources needed for one app, a Xamarin team can cover various target operating systems, including iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. Developers of all levels should be able to articulate this basic value proposition of Xamarin.

However, when hiring advanced Xamarin consultants or architects, expect candidates to answer this question with a detailed plan specific to your project; they might suggest specific performance optimization solutions or code architecture changes.

Why do companies hire Xamarin Developers?

As Microsoft’s open-source technology for cross-platform mobile application development, Xamarin offers substantial benefits during the development process. The framework facilitates a singular codebase that can be compiled and then function across different operating systems. A cross-platform approach also translates into faster development and, therefore, cost savings.

Though popular competing cross-platform frameworks exist (e.g., Flutter or React Native), Xamarin uses C# as its programming language. Because C# is so widely used, companies already working with C# or using a Microsoft environment can leverage their existing knowledge and resources to develop Xamarin apps quickly.

Moreover, Xamarin has the added benefits of powerful tooling and Microsoft integrations. For example, software engineers can use Xamarin Profiler to evaluate an app’s performance on different mobile platforms. And Visual Studio, Microsoft’s IDE for use with Xamarin, offers robust solutions for deploying and debugging applications.

Whether starting a Xamarin/.NET app from scratch, expanding your existing Microsoft ecosystem, or adding developers to support a mature Xamarin app, hiring the right experts will boost your team’s speed and efficiency.

The technical content presented in this article was reviewed by John Puddifoot.