How To Hire A Swift Developer

Swift developers are crucial in the software development landscape for several reasons. First, Swift is the primary programming language used for developing applications on Apple's platforms, including iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. As such, Swift developers play a pivotal role in creating the vast ecosystem of apps that run seamlessly on Apple devices. They are responsible for designing, coding, testing, and maintaining these applications.

The development of the Swift programming language began at Apple in 2010, with Chris Lattner leading the project. Swift was introduced to address several key issues in Apple's existing development ecosystem. It aimed to provide a more modern, safer, and efficient alternative to Objective-C, the primary language for iOS and macOS development.

Swift Developers: Why are they needed?

Swift is Apple's preferred programming language for building applications on its ecosystem, which includes iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Apple Watches, and Apple TV. As a result, Swift developers are needed to create a diverse array of applications, encompassing mobile apps, desktop software, games, and more, all designed to cater to the extensive user base of Apple products.

Aditionally, Swift developers contribute to the innovation and evolution of Apple's technologies. They tackle a range of problems in their roles. For example, they ensure cross-platform compatibility and make applications run smoothly on different Apple devices and iOS/macOS versions.

Skills required

  • Swift Programming
  • iOS/macOS Development
  • Xcode
  • UI/UX Design
  • Debugging and Profiling
  • API Integration
  • Networking

Job titles

  • iOS Developer
  • macOS Developer
  • Swift Developer
  • Mobile App Developer
  • iOS Engineer
  • macOS Software Engineer
  • Swift Software Developer

How to Search for Swift Developers

LinkedIn

With thousands of professionals and technical experts, it’ll be easier to look for a Swift Developer that fits in your team.


While searching on Google, use Boolean operators like "AND," "OR," and "NOT" to refine your search. For example, "Swift Developer" AND "Xcode" will show results for Swift Developers with familiarity with Xcode.


You can also use the "inurl:" operator to find URLs with specific keywords. For example, "inurl:resume swift developer" may show developers' resumes. Incorporate "filetype:" operator to search for particular file types, such as "filetype:pdf Swift Developer resume" to find resumes in PDF format.


To find Swift developer, you can join and interact with the devs in LinkedIn communities such as, The Swift Programming Language, iOS Swift Programmers, iOS/Swift Developers Group, etc.


Explore the LinkedIn company pages of tech companies or startups that specialize in Swift related technologies. These pages often feature employees' profiles, which can be a source of potential candidates. And thus help you find Swift developer with exceptional skills.

Online job boards

Post job openings on Indeed, LinkedIn, Naukri, Glassdoor, and Stack Overflow Jobs. Craft a clear and detailed job description that outlines the specific skills, experience, and qualifications you're looking for in a Swift developer. To attract talented developers, make sure your compensation package and benefits are competitive within the job market. Therefore, you can effectively leverage job posting platforms to find and hire Swift developer with the right skillset.

Developer communities and forums

When looking to hire a Swift developer, explore platforms like GitHub and Stack Overflow. Evaluate potential candidates by examining their projects. Consider the quality of their code, how much they contribute, and their overall activity. Seek out individuals with Swift developer skills that align with your project's needs. If your company has GitHub projects, showcase them to attract developers interested in your work.

Tech conferences and meetups

Attend Swift/iOS conferences and events to network with talented developers. By attending talks and discussions, you can gain insights into the interests and expertise of developers, helping you find candidates with exceptional Swift developer skills. Search for the upcoming regional or global Swift/iOS conferences online. Platforms like Eventbrite, Meetup, and Eventful allow you to search for and filter events. These events can be beneficial to hire Swift developer for your organization.

HackerEarth hiring challenges

Sponsor online coding challenges to find competitive developers. For instance, HSBC collaborated with HackerEarth to run the iOS Developer Hiring Challenge in 2021, to hire iOS Developer. These events can assist you in finding candidates with good Swift developer skills.

Open source communities

Engaging with active contributors in Swift/iOS-related open-source projects is a strategic approach to identify talented Swift developers. By participating in discussions, reporting issues, or even collaborating on these projects, you can discover individuals with a strong commitment to the Swift/iOS community. These contributors often maintain public repositories and share their portfolios, showcasing their skills and expertise.

Online learning platforms

Connect with Swift development enthusiasts on online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera. Exploring the projects and assignments submitted by learners in these online courses can provide a glimpse into their practical skills and coding abilities. Swift development enthusiasts often use these platforms to showcase their proficiency. You can also find links to their personal portfolios or GitHub repositories. Thus, it will be easier for you to discover talented individuals who are actively enhancing their Swift developer skills.

Local universities and coding boot camps

Collaborate with local academies and educational institutions to find aspiring Swift developers. For instance, you can partner with coding bootcamps that offer Swift development courses. By engaging with instructors and students in these programs, you can identify promising talents who are eager to apply their newly acquired Swift developer skills to real-world projects.

Social media channels

Use platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to share projects and job openings. Engage with Swift Developer communities such as Swift Forums. Actively participating in discussions and direct outreach to individuals can help you hire developers with the right skillset. Crafting engaging posts about your company's Swift developer initiatives and job opportunities can generate organic interest.

Referrals and employee networks

Promote employee referrals and leverage existing networks to gather recommendations in order to hire Swift developer with the right skillset.

Lightbulb Pro-Tip

Reddit is a great place to look for various Swift Development-related communities, including r/swift, r/SwiftDevelopment, r/iOSProgramming, r/SwiftUI, etc. You can also join related Communities on Discord with thousands of members.

Swift Developer Assessment

The most common assessment framework for Swift Developers on HackerEarth includes

A combination of technical evaluations, coding exercises, and behavioral assessments. Here are some common components of the assessment framework:

Code completion tasks

Code completion tasks are crucial part of Swift developer hiring assessment. Because, they can be instrumental in understanding candidate's hands-on coding abilities. You can include questions to test their familiarity with Swift syntax, API usage, and problem-solving skills. This approach allows you to discern not only if they can write functional code but also if they can do so efficiently and in accordance with best practices. Effective code completion tasks can help you hire Swift developer who not only understands Swift's intricacies but can also navigate its nuances seamlessly.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)

Utilizing MCQs in the hiring process for Swift developers offers a structured approach to evaluating their knowledge and conceptual understanding. Well-constructed MCQs enable you to hire swift developer with a solid foundation in Swift. Questions may delve into topics such as optionals, generics, memory management with Automatic Reference Counting (ARC), and the latest features introduced in Swift. This method helps streamline the hiring process by providing a standardized evaluation of candidates' theoretical knowledge.

Project-specific questions

In the hiring process for Swift developers, incorporating project-specific questions is indispensable for assessing not only their technical skills but also their practical skills. By tailoring questions to the specific demands of your projects, you can gauge a candidate's problem-solving abilities. For instance, inquire about their experience with SwiftUI if your project leans towards a declarative user interface approach. Or, delve into their knowledge of Core Data if data persistence is a critical aspect. Project-specific questions not only validate a developer's proficiency in Swift but also reveal their adaptability and suitability for the unique challenges posed by your initiatives. This targeted approach will help you hire Swift developer who not only meets the language requirements but is also well-equipped to contribute meaningfully to the success of your projects.

Language-specific questions

When seeking to hire Swift developers, language-specific questions are crucial. They can assess a candidate's proficiency and experience with Swift programming. For instance, you can gauge the developer's understanding of Optionals, generics, and protocol-oriented programming. Asking about Swift's memory management mechanisms, such as Automatic Reference Counting (ARC), provides insight into their ability to write efficient and memory-safe code. Hire a developer who not only possesses the requisite Swift developer skills but also has practical acumen to contribute meaningfully to your team.

Our bias-free, objective platform has facilitated 1,00,000+ assessments

Steps to Create a Swift Developer Assessment on HackerEarth

  1. Log in to Hackerearth assessments
  2. Add questions from our library and create a test
  3. Send invites to candidates
  4. Evaluate our AI-assisted report and shortlist candidates

Assess Swift Developers for free

Click here now

Sample Questions to Ask a Swift Developer

  • Write a function that calculates the sum of all the elements in an array of integers.
  • Implement a function to find the maximum element in an array of integers.
  • Write a Swift function to determine whether a given string is a palindrome.
  • Implement a function that reverses a given string without using built-in functions or libraries.
  • Create a function to calculate the factorial of a positive integer using recursion.

  • Which integrated development environment (IDE) is commonly used for Swift development?
    1. Android Studio
    2. Visual Studio Code
    3. Eclipse
    4. Xcode

  • Which design pattern is commonly used in iOS app development to separate the presentation logic from the view?
    1. Singleton
    2. MVC (Model-View-Controller)
    3. Observer
    4. Decorator

  • Which Swift keyword is used to handle errors and exceptions?
    1. try
    2. throw
    3. catch
    4. finally

  • Explain Optionals in Swift. Why are they important, and how do you handle them?
  • What is Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) in Swift? How does it work, and why is it important for memory management?
  • Explain the difference between a struct and a class in Swift. When would you use one over the other?
  • What is the Singleton design pattern, and how is it implemented in Swift?
  • How would you handle localization and internationalization in a Swift application?

  • What is Interface Builder in Xcode, and how does it facilitate UI design in iOS/macOS apps?
  • How do you manage dependencies and third-party libraries in an Xcode project?
  • Explain the purpose of the Xcode Debugger. How do you set breakpoints and inspect variables during debugging sessions?
  • What is the XCTest framework, and how do you write unit tests for Swift code in Xcode?
  • Can you explain the process of submitting an iOS/macOS app to the App Store using Xcode?

File Note

These sample questions provided here are for interviewing early-experience talents. For more customized assessments for candidates with higher experience, you can contact our team at contact@hackerearth.com or request a demo here.

Guidelines for Writing Job Description for Swift Developers

Job title

A Swift developer job description should begin with a clear and concise job title that reflects the role, such as "iOS Developer", "macOS Developer", and “Mobile App Developer”. Having a clear role can help you filter out candidates beforehand. And hence help you hire Swift developer whose tech stack aligns with your requirements.

Job summary

Provide a brief overview of the position, clarifying the key responsibilities and objectives. Describe what the user's primary focus is and how it contributes to the company's goals. Including a summary in the Swift developer job description can provide candidates with an overview of the role they are applying for.

Responsibilities

A Swift developer job description should outline the specific tasks and responsibilities that they will be expected to handle. This may include:

  • Developing and maintaining iOS, macOS, watchOS, or tvOS applications using Swift and related technologies
  • Collaborating with designers and product managers to translate design specifications into functional applications
  • Writing clean, efficient, and maintainable Swift code while following coding standards and best practices
  • Implementing user interfaces (UI) using SwiftUI or UIKit, ensuring a seamless and responsive user experience
  • Integrating with external APIs and web services, handling network requests, and parsing data
  • Writing unit tests and performing debugging to ensure code quality and reliability

It's an important part of the Swift developer job description. These key points will help developers understand the job requirements. Including these key points beforehand can also help you filter out candidates. And thus help you hire Swift developer with the right skillset.

Skills and qualifications

List the essential Swift developer skills and qualifications that candidates must possess, including, but not restricted to:

  • Proficiency in Swift programming language
  • Strong understanding of iOS, macOS, watchOS, or tvOS development
  • Experience with Xcode, Apple's integrated development environment (IDE)
  • Familiarity with design patterns like MVC, MVVM, and VIPER
  • Knowledge of UIKit and SwiftUI for building user interfaces
  • Expertise in memory management, including Automatic Reference Counting (ARC)

Mentioning the required Swift developer skills can help candidates understand the role they are applying for. As a result you can find and hire Swift developer with the right skillset.

Preferred skills

Mention any additional Swift developer skills or qualifications that would be beneficial but not mandatory for the role. It might attract candidates with broader skillset and thus help you hire Swift developer with exceptional skills. You can also ask for experience with specific tools, libraries, or domains.

Education and experience

Specify the educational background and professional experience required for the position. This could range from a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field to several years of relevant experience. Mentioning these prerequisites can help you filter out the candidates beforehand. And thus help you hire Swift developer with the qualifications you are looking for.

Company culture and EVPs

Briefly highlight your company's culture, values, and any unique perks or benefits offered to employees that can help attract candidates who align with your company's ethos.

Application instructions

Provide instructions on how candidates can apply for the position. Include where to send their resume, portfolio, or other required documents. Also, specify the deadline for applications, if applicable. It's another crucial point to be included in the Swift developer job description.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Include a statement affirming that your company is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.

Lightbulb Pro tip

You can incorporate gender-neutral pronouns like 'they/them' to promote an inclusive workplace. Additionally, it's beneficial to align your developer personas with your job profiles before advertising an open position. This approach ensures that your job descriptions resonate with a diverse range of candidates.

Download our guide for writing better developer personas

How to Conduct Swift Developer Job Interview

Skill-first hiring requires that the developer interview process be designed to understand the candidate’s skill and experience in the given domain. You can consider the following guidelines when conducting a face-to-face interview with a Swift Developer:

Conduct a real-time technical assessment

Usually candidates are given a remote assessment before the interview. However, using the interview platform to assess skills in real time will tell you a lot about the candidate’s communication skills and thought process.

FaceCode is HackerEarth’s flagship tech interview platform with a built-in question library you can use to test the candidate’s knowledge of Swift Development concepts. The built-in IDE environment can be used for assessing their ability to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code. You can also use the pair-programming method to observe their problem-solving approach, logical thinking, and attention to detail.

Learn how Facecode can make tech interviews easier

Understand the candidate’s project experience and review the portfolio

During the Swift developer interview assessment, explore the candidate's past and present projects. Focus on their personal contributions and the skills they used. Ask them to discuss a Swift Development project, detailing their responsibilities, problem-solving, and collaboration. If available, review their portfolio or code samples for coding style, documentation, and project quality.

Understand if they are a good culture and team fit

Another crucial aspect to check during the Swift developer interview assessment is if they align with your organization's values. While technical skills are essential for a developer, the significance of cultural fit should not be overlooked. The ideal candidate must possess not only accurate coding abilities but also effective communication and collaboration skills to thrive in agile and collaborative environments. Evaluating a candidate's capability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team is crucial. This assessment provides valuable insights into the candidate's problem-solving skills, communication, and adaptability, helping to determine their fit for the role and the team dynamics.

Additionally, this evaluation offers engineering managers a chance to exhibit their team culture and values, enabling them to find a candidate who aligns well with the team's ethos.

Want us to help you create a Swift Developer Assessment?

Start free trial

30,000+ recruiters and hiring Managers across 1000+ businesses grow their tech teams with HackerEarth

Amazon
Barclay
Intuit
Paypal
Siemens
Walmart

FAQs

When hiring a Swift developer, you should look for a candidate with a strong foundation in Swift programming and iOS/macOS development. You can check whether they have a relevant bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field. Additionally, qualifications should include a robust portfolio of past projects showcasing their practical experience in app development. Skills should always be given preference over degrees or certifications.

Look for candidates with a deep understanding of Swift language features, memory management, and design patterns, along with proficiency in using Xcode and Interface Builder. Strong problem-solving skills, the ability to work effectively within a team, and a commitment to staying updated with the rapidly evolving Swift ecosystem are also key qualifications to consider.

The specific toolset and experience required for a Swift developer can vary depending on the job role. In many cases, having experience with one or more essential tools such as Xcode, Interface Builder, and a version control system like Git is sufficient. However, the exact requirements should be tailored to the job description and the nature of the development work.

For instance, a mobile app developer might primarily need expertise in Xcode and iOS development tools, while a server-side Swift developer may focus more on command-line tools and server frameworks. Flexibility in adapting to various tools and a willingness to learn new ones as needed can also be valuable qualifications for Swift developers.

An iOS developer should possess a diverse skillset that includes proficiency in Swift and Objective-C programming languages. They should also have a deep understanding of iOS app development frameworks and APIs, and experience with Apple's integrated development environment (IDE), Xcode. They should be adept at designing user interfaces using UIKit or SwiftUI.

Additionally, iOS developers should keep up with the latest iOS versions and design guidelines to ensure their apps are optimized for performance, user experience, and compatibility across a range of Apple devices.

You can start by reviewing their portfolio of past projects, examining the complexity, diversity, and quality of the applications they have worked on. During the interview process, ask candidates to walk through the development process of specific projects, detailing their roles, challenges faced, and how they solved them.

Pose coding challenges or ask them to write code for a real-world scenario, demonstrating their problem-solving abilities. Additionally, consider using pair programming exercises to observe their coding style, teamwork, and ability to work collaboratively. Request references from previous employers or collaborators to gain insights into their performance and project contributions.

The requirements for Swift developer skills can vary significantly across different job roles in the software development industry. For mobile app developers focused on iOS, Swift proficiency is often a fundamental requirement. They are also required to have the knowledge of iOS frameworks, user interface design, and app architecture. In contrast, server-side Swift developers may prioritize skills related to backend technologies, APIs, and databases, alongside Swift expertise.

Full-stack Swift developers need a combination of frontend (iOS/macOS) and backend (server-side Swift) skills. Game developers might require experience with gaming frameworks like SpriteKit or SceneKit. The specific skills and depth of expertise needed depend on the job's focus, whether it's mobile, web, game development, or server-side applications, and the unique project requirements of each role.