- Home
- Technologies
- Elixir
- Hire Elixir Developers
Hire Elixir Developers
Hire vetted Elixir talent.
Our top 1% of tech talent has already undergone a rigorous vetting process. Get bilingual, nearshore Elixir developers on your team within 2 weeks.
500+ companies rely on our top 1% tech talent.
No time to find the top talent yourself? Skip the hassle of recruitment.
The Ultimate Guide for Hiring Elixir Developers
In today’s competitive landscape, hiring the right Elixir developer is pivotal for the success of your project, team, and company. However, identifying an outstanding developer from the sea of applicants is challenging.
From the 1.5 million+ applications we receive annually, we select only the top 1% of tech talent. Based on our experience, we've created a comprehensive guide to streamline your hiring process. You'll find key considerations, important skills, and interview questions with sample answers. This way, you can make more informed hiring decisions and identify an Elixir developer who will align well with your team and project goals.
Before You Start Hiring
Experience in Your Industry
Consider the relevance of industry experience when hiring an Elixir developer. Some developers have more experience in finance, for example, than in healthcare or e-commerce. Each sector has its own unique challenges, so finding an Elixir developer who already understands them is key. Prior experience in your industry can streamline the development process and ensure that solutions meet your business needs.
Adaptability
Look for a developer who is flexible and can work with different technologies, frameworks, and methodologies. Given the rapidly evolving nature of software development, the ability to learn and adapt quickly is invaluable. Candidates should have a track record of embracing change and a willingness to explore innovative solutions to complex problems.
Location and Timezone
The geographical location and timezone of your Elixir developer can significantly impact collaboration and communication. For example, you may need a developer in the same time zone for real-time interaction. Even if asynchronous communication can suffice, it’s easier to collaborate when you’re generally online during the same or similar operating hours.
Experience in Your Preferred Methodology
Look for Elixir developers who are proficient in your preferred methodology, such as Agile or Scrum. Developers experienced in a similar work environment and comfortable with your tools and processes can streamline project management and enhance efficiency.
Communication Skills
Hire an Elixir developer with strong communication skills. While technical skills are essential, a cultural fit is equally important. Assess whether your candidates align with your company values, communication style, and overall work culture. A cohesive team dynamic can foster creativity, boost productivity, and ensure long-term success.
16 Skills Every Elixir Developer Should Have
Elixir is a functional programming language built on the Erlang VM. It offers developers a powerful toolkit they can leverage to build highly concurrent, fault-tolerant, and scalable applications. Its lightweight processes and message-passing architecture, as well as its ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, make it well-suited for developing different systems. For example, developers use it for distributed systems, real-time applications, and microservices.
A skilled Elixir developer has a vast set of technical competencies for developing and maintaining applications. They should be proficient in functional programming paradigms, OTP (Open Telecom Platform) principles, and Elixir-specific constructs. These include processes, supervisors, and GenServers. Expertise in Elixir libraries like Phoenix for web development, Ecto for database interaction, and ExUnit for testing also ensures efficient development and quality code for scalable and maintainable applications.
Technical Skills to Look for in Your Ideal Elixir Developer
1. Elixir Language Proficiency
The developer should be proficient in Elixir syntax and basic constructs. They should have knowledge of functional programming paradigms and experience with Elixir features such as pattern matching, concurrency, and immutability.
2. Erlang/OTP
Elixir runs on the Erlang VM (BEAM), so a strong understanding of Erlang and OTP is essential. The candidate should have experience building fault-tolerant, distributed systems using OTP principles.
3. Concurrency and Fault Tolerance
Elixir developers should be experienced in building concurrent applications leveraging the language's lightweight processes. They should understand Elixir's supervisor trees and strategies for fault recovery.
4. Phoenix Framework
Phoenix, Elixir's most popular web framework, is used to develop scalable and performant web applications. Developers should understand the framework's real-time capabilities through channels and the use of WebSockets.
5. Ecto and Database Integration
Skills in using Ecto, a powerful Elixir database library, are essential for integrating with databases. It's also important to understand database migrations, queries, and schema management with the database wrapper.
6. Testing and Debugging
Testing and debugging with ExUnit, Elixir's built-in test framework, and other tools are essential for ensuring code quality, improving code design, enhancing performance, preventing regressions, and facilitating maintenance.
7. REST and GraphQL APIs
Knowledge of designing and implementing REST and GraphQL APIs is crucial for Elixir developers involved in integrating with other services and building scalable backend services. Elixir developers should have experience using libraries like Phoenix for REST APIs and Absinthe for GraphQL API development, enabling them to create robust and scalable web services.
8. Real-Time Systems
With expertise in real-time systems, Elixir developers can create dynamic and responsive applications with an enhanced user experience.
9. Deployment and Monitoring
An understanding of deployment and monitoring is essential for developers because it ensures that applications are launched successfully and perform optimally. Comprehensive monitoring ensures that developers can track the application's performance and spot issues before they escalate.
10. DevOps Skills
DevOps skills help streamline the software delivery and operation process through automation, enhancing efficiency and consistency. These skills improve collaboration between the development and operations teams, increasing the reliability and stability of applications. Elixir developers should have experience with Docker and Kubernetes for container management and scaling and CI/CD pipelines for continuous integration and continuous delivery.
11. Version Control
Version control systems like Git allow developers to track changes to their codebase, collaborate with team members, and manage multiple versions of the application.
12. Database Management Systems
Because they frequently interact with databases, Elixir developers should understand various DBMS (such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Oracle) and how to effectively use Elixir libraries like Ecto for interfacing with these systems. This knowledge is crucial for building data-driven applications and managing backend development efficiently.
Soft Skills to Look for in Your Ideal Elixir Developer
13. Adaptability
Elixir developers should demonstrate a high degree of adaptability. They need to effectively navigate your project’s evolving needs. This means that they should be adept at embracing new technologies and frameworks. They should also be able to work well with different methodologies—particularly the ones you typically rely on. Flexibility in adjusting to changing demands and dynamics is essential for delivering successful Elixir-based solutions.
14. Teamwork
Collaboration is fundamental to the success of Elixir projects. Developers should be team players, able to work well within your development team and larger organization. They should have strong communication skills, whether they're communicating with technical or non-technical stakeholders. Elixir developers should also be open to sharing knowledge and brainstorming ideas to deliver innovative solutions.
15. Conflict-Resolution
Conflict is inevitable in any collaborative environment—whether it involves team dynamics or changing project scope. Elixir developers should possess effective conflict-resolution skills. This means being able to professionally navigate disagreements, address concerns, and find mutually beneficial resolutions. With open communication and support for their other team members, skilled developers can mitigate conflicts and maintain a harmonious working environment.
16. Attention to Detail
Elixir developers must exhibit strong attention to detail. This ensures the accuracy and quality of their work, which is critical for your project’s success. Elixir developers should pay close attention to code syntax, logic, and structure, as well as to the overall design and functionality of applications. By regularly reviewing and testing code, developers can identify and rectify errors throughout the development lifecycle. By the end of the project, their attention to detail along the way should leave them confident in the reliability and integrity of their solutions.
9 Questions to Identify Top Elixir Developers
When interviewing Elixir developers, it's important to ask questions that first assess the candidates' technical skills and knowledge. Employers will also usually conduct a coding test to further assess specific on-the-job knowledge.
The following set of questions aims to uncover not only the developer's technical knowledge but also their problem-solving abilities, teamwork, communication skills, and adaptability—all crucial traits for success in a collaborative environment.
Here are a few examples of technical interview questions:
1. How do you approach testing in elixir projects, and what tools do you use?
I advocate for a test-driven development (TDD) approach using ExUnit for unit and integration tests. I conduct property-based testing with tools like StreamData, which ensures code quality. Continuous integration setups with tools like CircleCI also automate testing and help me maintain code quality throughout the development lifecycle.
2. How do you manage state in Elixir applications, and what considerations do you take into account when designing stateful processes?
I use tools like GenServer for managing stateful processes. It allows me to ensure encapsulation and concurrency. I carefully design state transitions and handle asynchronous events to maintain data consistency and avoid race conditions. I also use OTP supervision strategies to ensure fault tolerance and seamless error handling.
3. What strategies do you employ to optimize Elixir applications for performance and scalability?
I focus on leveraging Elixir's concurrency primitives like processes and message passing for parallel execution. I'm able to optimize database queries, utilize caching mechanisms, and adopt OTP supervision trees to ensure efficient resource utilization. Scalability is also top of mind. Regular profiling and benchmarking guide performance improvements throughout the development lifecycle as well.
4. How do you ensure code maintainability and readability in Elixir projects, especially when collaborating with other developers?
I adhere to Elixir's coding conventions. I also adopt functional programming principles like immutability and single responsibility. Comprehensive documentation, meaningful variable naming, and modular code organization all enhance code readability. Meanwhile, regular code reviews, pair programming, and continuous integration practices allow me to ensure code quality and maintainability amongst my team members.
5. What are the main advantages of using Elixir for web development?
Assess the candidate's understanding of Elixir’s strengths, particularly its concurrency model and fault tolerance.
6. Describe a project where you used Phoenix. What specific features of Phoenix did you find most beneficial?
This question aims to understand the candidate’s practical experience with Phoenix and their ability to leverage its features effectively.
7. Please explain how you would optimize a slow Elixir application? What steps would you take?
This question assesses the candidate’s debugging and performance optimization skills.
8. Describe a challenging problem you faced while working with Elixir and how you resolved it.
Gain insight into the candidate’s problem-solving skills and resilience.
9. How do you keep your Elixir skills updated, and what resources do you use?
This question checks how the candidate stays current with technological advancements and their commitment to continuous learning.
FAQ
What is the Elixir programming language, and why is it used?
Elixir is a functional and dynamic programming language mainly used to build scalable, maintainable, and high-performance web applications. It is also used to create some other types of software solutions, such as telecommunications systems. It runs on the Erlang VM, which is known for powering low-latency, distributed, and fault-tolerant systems.
Can you hire remote Elixir developers?
Yes, you can hire remote Elixir developers. Many businesses work with remote developers because the model allows them to access a global talent pool and achieve greater flexibility. When hiring remotely, ensure you have strong communication practices and protocols in place to streamline collaboration.
What are the best interview practices when hiring an Elixir developer?
When you're looking for skilled Elixir developers, you should ask interview questions that cover a range of topics to assess technical and soft skills. Additionally, conduct technical interviews with coding exercises involving Elixir-specific features, assess culture fit, and ask the candidate to perform practical exercises such as system design.
What should I look for in an Elixir developer?
When you're looking for software engineers to complete your Elixir development team, consider qualities such as:
- Proficiency in Elixir and Phoenix
- Understanding of functional programming and OTP concepts
- Experience with concurrent and distributed systems
- Familiarity with database integration via Ecto
- Strong testing skills
- Soft skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and communication
- Hire Elixir Developers
How Businesses Can Overcome the Software Development Shortage
BairesDev Ranked as one of the Fastest-Growing Companies in the US by Inc. 5000
