Hiring a Drupal Developer

Top Skills to Look for When Hiring a Drupal Developer

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When it comes to building a robust, scalable, and secure website, Drupal remains one of the top choices for enterprises, government organizations, and growing businesses. Its flexibility, modular architecture, and security features make it a favorite for complex digital projects. But here’s the catch: the success of your Drupal project largely depends on the Drupal developer you choose.

Hiring the right professional can be the difference between a smooth, high-performing Drupal website and one that’s plagued with issues, delays, and security risks. Whether you’re a business owner looking for reliable Drupal development services or a project manager tasked with scaling your company’s digital presence, knowing what skills to look for when you hire a Drupal developer is essential.

In this post, we’ll explore the top skills you should prioritize when hiring a Drupal developer and why these skills matter for your project’s long-term success.

Why Hiring the Right Drupal Developer Matters

Drupal is not a plug-and-play solution like some other CMS platforms. It requires specialized expertise to:

  • Customize themes and modules
  • Ensure high-level security compliance
  • Optimize performance for large-scale traffic
  • Integrate with third-party tools and enterprise applications
  • Build scalable digital experiences that evolve with your business

That’s why many businesses partner with a trusted Drupal company or carefully vet individual developers. A skilled professional doesn’t just build your website—they future-proof it.

Core Skills Every Drupal Developer Should Have

1. Strong Knowledge of Drupal Core and Modules

A great Drupal developer should have deep familiarity with Drupal Core—the backbone of every Drupal website. Beyond that, they should understand how to use and extend contributed modules to add new features.

For example:

  • Using Views to create custom content displays
  • Implementing Pathauto for SEO-friendly URLs
  • Leveraging Paragraphs for flexible content creation

Tip: Ask candidates which modules they’ve worked with most frequently and how they’ve customized them to solve client problems.

2. Expertise in Custom Module and Theme Development

While contributed modules are helpful, many projects demand unique functionality. This is where custom module development comes into play. A strong developer should:

  • Write clean, reusable PHP code for custom modules
  • Create responsive, accessible, and performance-optimized themes
  • Follow Drupal coding standards and best practices

Custom development ensures your website doesn’t just look unique but also aligns with your business workflows.

3. Proficiency in Front-End Technologies

Drupal isn’t just about back-end logic—it’s also about creating intuitive, engaging user experiences. A skilled developer should be well-versed in front-end technologies such as:

  • HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript
  • Responsive design frameworks (Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS)
  • Modern JavaScript libraries like React or Vue (if decoupled Drupal is considered)

This combination allows your Drupal website development project to deliver visually appealing, mobile-first experiences.

4. Understanding of Drupal Security Best Practices

Security is one of the main reasons enterprises and governments choose Drupal. That said, only a knowledgeable developer can configure your site to meet security standards. Look for someone who understands:

  • Drupal’s security advisories and patches
  • Proper user role and permission management
  • Input validation and XSS/SQL injection prevention
  • GDPR and compliance integrations for data privacy

For organizations that handle sensitive data, this skill is non-negotiable.

5. Familiarity with Performance Optimization

Website speed and performance directly affect user experience and SEO rankings. A top Drupal developer should know how to:

  • Implement caching (Drupal’s built-in cache, Varnish, Redis)
  • Optimize databases and queries
  • Minify CSS/JS for faster load times
  • Configure Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

This ensures your website can handle traffic spikes without downtime.

6. Database and Backend Skills

Drupal relies heavily on databases like MySQL or MariaDB. Developers should be proficient in database design, writing optimized queries, and handling migrations. Knowledge of PHP and Symfony (the framework underpinning Drupal 8 and above) is also crucial.

If your project involves integrations—say, with a CRM, ERP, or payment gateway—your developer should know how to connect Drupal with third-party systems via APIs.

7. Experience with Drupal Site Building

Site building is often underestimated, but it’s an important skill. This involves configuring Drupal’s built-in tools without heavy custom coding. Examples include:

  • Setting up content types, fields, and taxonomies
  • Configuring user roles and permissions
  • Using Drupal Views for dynamic displays
  • Managing multilingual content

A developer strong in site building can save you time and development costs.

8. Familiarity with DevOps and Version Control

A modern Drupal company doesn’t just build websites; it ensures they’re scalable, maintainable, and ready for continuous updates. Look for developers familiar with:

  • Git for version control
  • Deployment pipelines and automated testing
  • Docker or Kubernetes for containerization
  • Cloud hosting environments (AWS, Pantheon, Acquia)

These practices improve collaboration, minimize downtime, and streamline deployments.

9. Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills

Technical knowledge is only part of the equation. The best Drupal developers bring strong problem-solving skills to the table. Whether it’s debugging a performance bottleneck or creating a workaround for a tricky integration, analytical thinking separates average developers from great ones.

10. Communication and Collaboration

Drupal projects often involve multiple stakeholders—designers, project managers, marketers, and content editors. A good developer should be able to communicate technical details in simple terms and collaborate effectively with non-technical team members.

If you’re outsourcing to a Drupal web development agency, ensure their team prioritizes transparency, timely updates, and client collaboration.

Additional Qualities to Look for

Apart from technical expertise, here are a few additional qualities to keep in mind when you hire a Drupal developer:

  • Community Involvement: Active participation in the Drupal community (forums, contributions, meetups) shows commitment and up-to-date knowledge.
  • Portfolio and Case Studies: Ask for previous Drupal website development examples relevant to your industry.
  • Adaptability: Drupal evolves quickly. Your developer should stay current with the latest versions and best practices.
  • Client-Centric Approach: The best Drupal professionals align their work with your business goals—not just technical specs.

Practical Tips for Hiring a Drupal Developer

Here are a few actionable steps to make your hiring process smoother:

  1. Define Your Project Scope: List required features, integrations, and long-term goals.
  2. Choose Between Freelancer vs. Agency: A freelancer may be cost-effective for small tasks, but a full-service Drupal company offers comprehensive expertise for complex projects.
  3. Conduct Technical Tests: Give candidates small, real-world tasks to test their coding and problem-solving skills.
  4. Check References: Speak with past clients to evaluate reliability and quality of work.
  5. Consider Long-Term Maintenance: Look for developers who also provide Drupal support and maintenance services post-launch.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Drupal developer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your digital strategy. The right skills—ranging from Drupal core knowledge and custom development to security, performance optimization, and strong communication—can make your project a success.

Whether you’re hiring a freelancer or partnering with a seasoned Drupal company, focusing on these skills will help you build a secure, scalable, and future-ready website.

If you’re ready to take your digital presence to the next level, consider working with a professional team that specializes in Drupal development services. From strategy and design to development and ongoing support, we can help you unlock Drupal’s full potential.

👉 Looking to hire a Drupal developer or partner with a trusted Drupal agency? Contact us today to discuss your project.