Without a solid and thought-out back-end program, the user side is set up for failure. And, of course, you can’t do the back end better than with Java. What skills do you look for when hiring a Java developer?
When hiring a Java developer, you need to find someone who thinks quickly on their feet when it comes to Java development.
When hiring a Java developer, you need to find someone who thinks quickly on their feet when it comes to Java development. Java is an object-oriented language. So the Java developer should know the principles well. They should also learn how to apply them when programming.
Hire Java developers who have a grip on the complete Java ecosystem. This includes the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), the Java Development Kit (JDK), and the Java Runtime Environment.
In 2025 and beyond, you should also ensure the candidate is familiar with the latest Java Long-Term Support (LTS) versions, like Java 11, 17, and 21. These versions are widely adopted in enterprise settings for their stability and performance optimizations.
Additionally, JVM has evolved to be more container-friendly, with Project Loom introducing lightweight virtual threads for scalable concurrency.
They should also be familiar with Java-based web services for better software development.
A stronger requirement today is familiarity with RESTful APIs or gRPC-based services, especially within microservices architectures. Look for developers who can design, consume, and secure APIs effectively.
If you’re hiring a senior java developer, then the ability to write optimized and clean code is paramount. Hire dedicated Java programmers who have a good understanding of multithreading and synchronization.
Bonus points if they are comfortable using parallel streams or virtual threads introduced in recent Java releases to build scalable applications.
When checking out candidates, see if they have hands-on experience with Spring Boot, as it’s crucial for smooth backend development in Java. Bonus points if they're comfortable with Docker for containerization, Kubernetes for orchestrating your containers, and solid CI/CD pipelines for automating everything.
If they’ve worked with Agile frameworks like Scrum or Kanban, especially using Jira, they’ll fit right in with today’s fast-paced, sprint-driven teams!
Technical skills are vital for top Java programmers. Here are some questions you can ask to test the technical knowledge of Java developers.
Top 5 technical questions to ask when you hire Java Web DevelopersHow does Java enable high performance?
Expect something like:
This is one of the best interview questions to ask dedicated Java developers. The Just-in-Time compilation enables high performance in Java. The JIT compiler compiles codes with similar functionality, reducing the total time.
It's a good sign if your candidate is further able to explain Java bytecode and how JIT works to compile that into native machine code.
You can also ask how performance tuning works in a JVM environment, things like garbage collection optimizations, thread management, and memory profiling.
Explain the OOPs concepts.
Expect the following:
Object-oriented programming aims to implement real-world entities like inheritance and polymorphism that Java developers must be well aware of. The main aim of OOP is to combine a piece of data and the function that relies on this data. This is so that no other part of the code can access this data.
For this question, hire Java developers who have an understanding of the topic and not just the textbook answer. They should know that Java is based on OOP to improve code readability and reusability.
Make sure they can also articulate how OOP principles work within frameworks like Spring or when designing microservices. For example, using encapsulation to structure domain models or inheritance in service abstraction.
What makes Java a Write Once Run Anywhere (WORA) program?
The ideal answer for Java developers should be:
JVM is the reason why Java is a WORA program. In Java, the program is converted to bytecode rather than code understood by the Hardware. Because the bytecode can be run on any machine with a JVM, Java is a WORA (Write Once, Run Anywhere) language.
Developers should also understand that modern JVMs are now optimized for containerized environments, enabling Java to run efficiently on cloud-native platforms.
The candidate might mention tools like GraalVM for ahead-of-time compilation, which can further enhance portability and startup time.
What are the differences between Interface and Abstract Class?
This is a question appropriate if you’re interviewing senior Java developers.
Before explaining the differences, your Java programming candidate should start by explaining what Interface and Abstract classes are. It can be a brief answer as simple as the following:
The interface is a blueprint used to implement a class. The interface does not contain any concrete methods that have codes.
The abstract allows you to create blueprints for concrete classes. An abstract class should have at least one abstract method. But it can also contain concrete methods.
Since Java 8, interfaces can now contain default and private methods, which blurs the line between the Interface and Abstract classes. A strong candidate will know when to use one over the other depending on the architectural needs.
Some key differences between an abstract class and an interface class are that the interface is slower, while the abstract class is faster. In the interface, you can’t define any fields. But in the abstract, you can define fields and constants.
There are also different places where both classes should be implemented. If the candidate can tell you where to implement a class, it signifies that they have an understanding of the classes.
You can also ask the candidate for a sample code for both the interface and abstract class.
Can you explain Method Overriding in Java?
Overriding is a feature allowing a subclass to provide an implementation that’s already provided by a superclass. When finalizing a dedicated Java Programmer for hire, they should be able to tie this answer back to run-time polymorphism.
They should also understand how this works in the context of Spring Boot, such as overriding lifecycle methods or REST controller endpoints.
Modern Java interviews often include practical coding tasks. To thoroughly evaluate Java developers, consider live-coding or take-home challenges that test their architectural and debugging skills. Platforms like HackerRank or Codility can be helpful for this purpose.
But a command over just the technical side of things isn’t enough. In fact, when you hire Java programmers, make it a point to test their problem-solving skills. You can ask Java developers these 5 exploratory interview questions.
5 Exploratory Questions to Ask When Hiring Java DevelopersWhat would you say is the best Java program you’ve worked on? Explain it in detail.
This question tests the candidate's impressions of themselves. It’s easier to get a programmer to talk about their success than their failure. So you can expect an in-depth answer.
Also, with the functionalities of the program they’ve worked on, you can test how skilled the Java developer is.
Do you have any professional experience apart from Java that helped you excel in this industry?
If the candidate has worked on only Java since the beginning of their career, that’s okay. But if they’ve not, it’s a good idea to get an understanding of their previous experiences.
And if Java coders can tie past professional knowledge into their current industry, it’s a good indication that they can adapt to new methods and even programming languages if required.
Was your Undergraduate Major relevant to this position?
It so often happens that a candidate’s major doesn’t match the job they’ve applied for. This is acceptable as long as they have relevant experience. But it’s a good idea to know why they chose a major and then changed their mind.
Furthermore, if the major is too far from Java, you can suggest and ensure they take relevant courses to gain the best knowledge of Java subjects.
Do you prefer front-end or back-end development? Explain why.
Java is a programming language used for back-end web application development. But a full-stack Java developer should be able to do both. And if a Java coder prefers front-end development, you can tell they’ll be good at both.
Basic knowledge of UI/UX design is mandatory if you’re hiring a full-stack Java developer.
When working in a team, what is the role you tend to take?
The answer to this question will tell you if you’re hiring a leader or a follower. This is useful if the role you’re hiring for has growth potential.
You may also want to explore whether the candidate is comfortable with version control tools like Git, can collaborate through platforms like GitHub or GitLab, and has experience contributing to CI/CD pipelines. These are crucial skills in team-based Agile development environments.