How to Evaluate an iOS Developer’s Portfolio Before You Hire

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, hiring the right iOS developer is crucial for businesses aiming to deliver exceptional mobile experiences. With the iOS app market flourishing and user expectations at an all-time high, assessing a developer’s portfolio has become more critical than ever. This guide provides insights into effectively evaluating an iOS developer’s portfolio to ensure alignment with your project’s goals.

Understanding the Basics of iOS App Development

iOS app development encompasses the creation of applications for Apple’s mobile operating system, utilizing languages like Swift and Objective-C. iOS Developers leverage tools such as Xcode and frameworks like SwiftUI and UIKit to build responsive and user-friendly apps. A solid understanding of these fundamentals is essential when assessing a developer’s capabilities.

The Rising Demand for iOS Developers 

The demand for skilled iOS developers has surged in 2025, driven by the increasing popularity of Apple devices and the expanding app ecosystem. According to recent statistics, mobile app revenue is projected to reach $613 billion in 2025, with iOS apps playing a significant role in this growth . Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor anticipates a 24% growth in software development roles by 2026, highlighting the robust job market for iOS developers.

Assessing Portfolios: Key Skills to Look For

A developer’s portfolio is more than a collection of apps—it’s a window into their problem-solving abilities, technical proficiency, creative thinking, and user-centric design approach. Here’s how to assess it thoroughly:

Technical Skills to Evaluate

1. Proficiency in Swift and Objective-C
   Look for apps built using Swift, Apple’s modern programming language for iOS development. Swift has largely replaced Objective-C, but experience in both demonstrates adaptability and legacy system knowledge. Check how the Swift developer has implemented features like optionals, closures, and protocol-oriented programming in real-world applications.
2. Framework Familiarity (SwiftUI, UIKit, Combine)
   Modern iOS apps increasingly use SwiftUI for UI design, so a good portfolio should showcase projects built using it. UIKit experience is still relevant, especially for backward compatibility with older iOS versions. If the developer has used Combine for reactive programming, it shows an understanding of advanced data handling and UI updates.
3. App Architecture (MVC, MVVM, VIPER)
   A strong portfolio should include apps built with structured, scalable architecture patterns. Developers who use MVVM or VIPER are often more experienced with maintaining and scaling complex apps. Look for clean folder structures, modular design, and reusable components.
4. Backend Integration
   Most mobile apps rely on APIs to communicate with a backend. The portfolio should include examples of RESTful API consumption, GraphQL integration, or even Firebase usage. Highlight any real-time data use cases (e.g., WebSocket or Firebase Realtime Database) and how the developer handles data parsing and error management.
5. App Store Presence
   Published apps are proof that the developer can see a project through to completion. Check their App Store links, read user reviews, and examine update frequency. An actively maintained app shows commitment to improvement and user feedback.
6. Performance Optimization & Testing
   Has the developer considered app performance? Look for case studies or documentation where they mention reducing app size, improving load times, or optimizing battery usage. Also assess if they’ve written unit tests (XCTest), UI tests, or used tools like Instruments to debug performance issues.
7. Familiarity with Core iOS APIs
   Check if the developer has worked with key iOS services like Core Location, Core Data, AVFoundation, or Push Notifications. These are often critical for real-world apps.

Non-Technical Skills to Watch For

1. Problem Solving & Decision Making
   Look for descriptions of challenges and how they were solved—whether it was refactoring legacy code, overcoming UX constraints, or debugging a production crash. This reveals their approach to complex situations.
2. UI/UX Awareness
   A great iOS developer doesn’t just code—they build intuitive and visually appealing apps. Evaluate how user-friendly the apps are. Are there unnecessary steps in the user flow? Is the layout responsive across different iPhone sizes?
3. Communication and Documentation
   Strong portfolios often include a README or case study for each project. This shows that the developer can communicate their ideas, thought processes, and solutions clearly. It’s also a sign they’ll be effective in a collaborative team setting.
4. Adaptability and Learning Mindset
   Does the portfolio reflect growth? Look for progression from simpler apps to more complex ones, or experimentation with new Apple features introduced in recent WWDCs. This shows they stay updated and are willing to learn continuously.
5. Collaboration Experience
   If available, review projects built as part of a team (check GitHub for collaboration history). Contributions to open-source projects or tech blogs can also indicate their involvement in the developer community and willingness to share knowledge.

Simplifying the Hiring Process with eDev

At eDev, we do more than just connect you with available iOS developers—we deliver a fully managed, precision-driven hiring experience designed to save your engineering team hours of effort. Our expert HR and recruitment teams bring a structured and strategic approach to vetting candidates, ensuring every iOS developer we present is not only technically sound but also aligned with your company’s work culture and project expectations.

Our process begins by understanding your specific needs, whether you’re building a complex enterprise app or a sleek consumer-facing product. Based on your goals, our technical recruiters handpick candidates with the right experience in Swift, UIKit, SwiftUI, or frameworks like Django for backend integrations. But we go beyond code. Our recruiters are trained to evaluate non-technical qualities like communication skills, collaborative mindset, cultural fit, and problem-solving capabilities—traits that are essential for seamless integration into remote or hybrid teams. Additionally, our Interview-as-a-Service feature allows engineering teams to skip the time-intensive screening process altogether. Our expert interviewers handle the technical assessments and send you only the top-performing candidates, often cutting down over 100+ hours of interview time. Once you’ve chosen your iOS developer, eDev handles onboarding, payroll, legal compliance, and daily resource management through our all-in-one platform. 

By tapping into talent-rich, cost-effective regions, eDev helps businesses save up to 50% on hiring costs. Moreover, flexible hiring models, such as hire dedicated developers on-demand or EOR, enable you to scale your team according to project demands.