Gone are the days when you have to rely on traditional softwares, that involved upfront purchase, installation on local systems, and higher maintenance costs. Now, you only need to get services of a SaaS application where all you data is on cloud and available to you anywhere, anytime on any device, no installation or maintenance required.
According to a study, the global public cloud application services SaaS market size will be around $297.08 billion by 2025. This is not only huge but astonishing.
SaaS applications have brought a digital revolution and transformation across industries. To get the most out of your business, you must shift towards cloud computing and SaaS. However, to build a scalable, reliable, and profitable SaaS application, you need to hire SaaS developers well-versed in cloud computing and SaaS development.
So, in today’s comprehensive guide, we will let you know the top 10 skills to look for in SaaS developers during the hiring process.
What is SaaS (Software as a Service)?
Software as a Service is a cloud-based software delivery model where applications are hosted on cloud platforms. These applications are accessed via a browser, instead of an individual system.
With SaaS platforms, the users don’t have to install or manage software on their own devices. Instead, they easily access SaaS applications via their web browser or mobile application.
Moreover, the users won’t have to buy a software license once, but they pay a recurring fee, either monthly or annually. With this model, one can have instant access to the application, with no maintenance on the user side, and constant updates delivered by the service provider.
Core Characteristics of SaaS
- SaaS is cloud-hosted. It means no installation is required.
- It is subscription-based with a recurring bill on a monthly or annual basis.
- It follows a multi-talent architecture. One application is capable of serving multiple users/organizations.
- It is always up-to-date.
Benefits of SaaS Applications
With SaaS applications, you get rid of the hectic task of installing and running applications on computers or in data centers. Moreover, this reduces the cost of hardware, acquisition, provisioning, and maintenance.
Here are the core benefits of SaaS applications:
Flexible Payments
Customers subscribe to a SaaS solution instead of buying gear to support it or software to install. Many firms may practice more effective and consistent budgeting by converting costs to recurrent operational expenses. To avoid such ongoing expenses, users can also quit using SaaS services at any moment.
High Scalability
With SaaS applications, you enjoy high vertical scalability. It allows users to access more or fewer features according to their needs.
Reduces Workload for the IT Department
Internal IT organizations can also shift to strategic tasks instead of routine maintenance by outsourcing software development and administration to a software-as-a-service provider.
Automatic Updates
Customers may depend on a SaaS provider to handle patch management and updates automatically rather than buying new software. This lessens the workload for internal IT personnel even further.
Accessibility and Persistence
Users may access SaaS applications from any place and any device. All you need to do is have an internet connection since SaaS providers distribute their services/apps online.
Enhanced Collaboration
SaaS allows multiple users to work on the same project at once. This is possible because of SaaS’s collaborative architecture. Hence, it increases productivity and fosters collaboration.
What is SaaS Development?
The creation of a cloud-based application, including the design, development, deployment, and maintenance that can be used across thousands of users, is said to be SaaS development.
SaaS applications are meant to support:
- Real-time updates
- Paywall and billing transactions
- Smooth onboarding and self-service features
- Analytics for product usage and churn
Popular Use Cases of SaaS with Examples
| Use Case | Example Tools |
| Project Management | Trello, Asana, Monday.com |
| CRM & Sales | Salesforce, HubSpot |
| Communication | Slack, Zoom |
| Marketing | Mailchimp, Buffer |
| Finance | QuickBooks, Xero |
| HR & Payroll | Gusto, BambooHR |
| E-Commerce | Shopify, BigCommerce |
| Design & Prototyping | Canva, Figma |
These are all cloud-based platforms, accessed via browser or application.
Why Hiring SaaS Developers is Crucial
SaaS development is not just about coding. It is about developing an application or product that is scalable and capable of managing a high traffic influx. A small negligence or a simple oversight in the SaaS application architecture or security can cause you a huge loss in the form of the whole system crashing, or even worse. Such mistakes lead to data breaches and cyberattacks.
Hence, you need to be extremely vigilant while hiring SaaS developers for SaaS development. During the hiring process, you need to focus on developers with SaaS-specific skills.
For your ease, we have shortlisted 10 core and key skills that you must look for when recruiting SaaS developers.
1. Proficiency in Cloud Platforms
The first skill to look for in a SaaS developer is proficiency in cloud platforms. There’s no way a developer can be a SaaS developer without solid expertise in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
This is because SaaS products are hosted on cloud platforms. Hence, the SaaS developers must be able to design, deploy, and manage scalable cloud infrastructure.
Skill to Look:
- Expertise with cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
- Developers must be familiar with the concepts of auto-scaling and cloud monitoring.
- Proficiency with serverless architecture and container orchestration.
2. Solid Expertise in Back-end Development
Back-end development is the backbone of SaaS development. Because all SaaS platforms run on data and backend logic, which mainly comprises user authentication, payments, APIs, etc. Thus, a developer with hands-on experience in backend development should be preferred while hiring for SaaS development.
Skills to Look:
- Look for a developer who’s proficient in various backend technologies such as Node.js, Django, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, etc.
- Capable of working with RESTful and GraphQL APIs.
- Knowledge of asynchronous tasks, queues, and microservices is also required.
3. Frontend Development Expertise
Along with backend development capabilities, a SaaS developer should be able to work with front-end technologies. Frontend is all that a user sees, and it is a key differentiating factor in SaaS development.
Hence, the front end of a SaaS application must be interactive, intuitive, fast, and dynamic.
Skills to Look:
- When it comes to the SaaS development, your prospective developer should be one who is able to operate with the front-end stacks like React, Angular, or Vue.js.
- Familiarity with component libraries and state, as well as management, is essential.
- Skilled in using such tools as Redux, TypeScript, and Tailwind is needed as well.
4. Understanding of Security Practices and Data Protection Skills
Whatever stack you work on or whatever application or product you make, following security best practices and data protection techniques is a must. Hence, when it comes to building SaaS applications, it is an absolute thing to bring in security best practices and data protection skills as SaaS platforms handle sensitive customer data such as emails, passwords, transactions, etc.
Skills to Look:
- A SaaS developer must possess knowledge of data encryption, HTTPS, and OAUTH 2.0.
- Your potential developers must be able to implement role-based access control, IP whitelisting, and MFA.
- Compliance knowledge such as GDPE, SOC2, etc is also essential.
5. Work Experience in SaaS-Specific Architectures
Remember hiring doesn’t mean mastering only the core things, but a solid understanding of the architecture of the host system is also compulsory. So, when engaging with a SaaS expert, assess their skills in SaaS-specific architecture.
It is important because SaaS needs to support multi-latency, shared infrastructure, and tenant billing.
Skills to Look:
- Hands-on experience with multi-tenant vs single-tenant design.
- Capable of handling tiered plans and feature gating.
- Knowledge of subscription logic, quotas, and tenant separation.
6. DevOps and CI/CD
The other ability you may want to find in a SaaS tech developer when hiring him or her is the familiarity with DevOps and CI/CD pipeline. A developer who is well aware of DevOps and CI/CD distribution flows is able to construct and present SaaS applications with speed and stability.
Skills to Look:
- A developer claiming to have expertise in DevOps and CI/CD must know GitHub Actions, Jenkins, and GitLab CI.
- Knowledge of containerization such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform.
- He must be able to automate testing, deployment, and monitoring.
7. API Integration and Development Skills
APIs play an important role in software development. They allow different software systems to communicate and interact with each other.
In SaaS, the importance of APIs gets 2x peak because SaaS applications are not meant to work in isolation. They must integrate with third-party tools and applications to serve the purpose.
Skills to Look:
- SaaS developers should be well-versed in building custom APIs.
- They must be capable of integrating the application with other APIs.
- Capability of working with webhooks, OAuth tokens, and API security.
- Proficiency in handling rate limits, retries, and versioning.
8. Performance Optimization and Scalability
Other than the hard-core skills, a SaaS developer must be capable of handling performance and scalability issues of the SaaS product. They must be able to optimize performance and ensure scalability.
Slow SaaS platforms are of no use to users and are meant to fail. Hence, you must hire developers eligible to optimize performance and furnish scalability to the system.
Skills to Look:
- Database optimization, query tuning, and caching are the necessary skills.
- To ensure fast load times, the developer must be able to implement lazy loading, code splitting, and other front-end enhancing techniques.
9. Collaboration and Communication Skills
These are the most important skills, even though they are in the 9th position. A SaaS developer should possess successful communication and be able to cooperate with other teams, i.e. designers, marketers, product managers, etc.
A SaaS developer is not only meant to code but collaborate and communicate effectively.
Skills to Look:
- A SaaS developer must be able to work with various collaboration tools such as Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc.
- They should possess the ability to work in Agile/Scrum environments.
- Capable of communicating verbally and in writing.
- Willingness to participate in planning and product discussions.
10. Understanding of SaaS Metrics and Business Goals
Lastly, you should hire a developer who has an understanding of SaaS metrics and business goals. A developer with solid knowledge of business KPIs can build smarter solutions.
Skill to Look:
- Understanding of metrics such as Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), Churn Rate, New Revenue Retention (NRR), etc.
- Experience in integrating analytics.
Where to Find the Right SaaS Developers
Finding the right resource for SaaS development can be an easy and at the same time challenging task. All of it depends on your strategy of hiring a developer.
Currently, three popular platforms allow you to hire the best SaaS engineers.
Freelance Platforms
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- Fiverr
Remote Job Boards
- WeWorkRemotely
- RemoteOK
- AngelList Talent
Developer Communities
- GitHub
- Stack Overflow
In the End
In conclusion, SaaS applications are the future. The use of traditional applications is about to obsolete and you will see only SaaS products around you. With no installation hassle, hardware requirements, or update issues, you enjoy working from anywhere anytime. However, the role of SaaS developers is extremely crucial in building Software-as-a-Service applications. They must possess the mentioned skills to qualify for the role of SaaS developer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SaaS in simple terms?
A SaaS product is an application that you access online via a browser. It is neither installed on your system nor requires any other dependencies other than the internet.
What’s the difference between SaaS applications and traditional applications?
You can access a SaaS application via a browser, while sitting anywhere and anytime. Whereas a traditional application needs installation, setup, and maintenance to run perfectly on your system. Moreover, you can’t access it online.
Which programming language shall I use for SaaS development?
For SaaS development, you should opt for Node.js, Python, and Ruby on Rails.
Does a DevOps engineer help SaaS development at all?
Yes, you should have a DevOps engineer who works on the development of SaaS to automate the deployment, testing, and scalability.
Where should I hire SaaS developers?
You can hire SaaS developers from software development agencies. Moreover, you can hire from freelance platforms, remote job boards, and developer communities.
