Toptal is a marketplace for top .NET developers and coders. CEOs, CTOs, and management at top companies and startups work with Toptal .NET freelancers to augment their development teams for .NET development, application development, web development, and other software development projects to achieve their business needs.
Paul is a full-stack developer with almost three decades of experience. His primary focus is .NET Core back-end processes. He has worked for many industries, including global investment banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, retail, and healthcare. Paul has worked with companies of all sizes, from startups to large Fortune 500 companies.
Stephin is a full-stack engineer who has been integral to teams developing high-quality software for enterprise companies like GetReal Health for a decade. He is well-versed in Angular, .NET Core (C#), and SQL Server stack and has also worked on technologies like Spring Boot and Django. Stephin joined Toptal to be able to work seamlessly and independently while collaborating with the best minds around the world. He is keen to work on projects that let him put his expertise to good use.
Andy is a full-stack developer with 20 years of experience in software. He is an expert in the .NET stack, from gathering requirements to SQL database design, web, Windows, and mobile back and front end, and deployed system monitoring and maintenance. His top skills include Xamarin Forms, conversational bots accessible via Amazon Alexa, Google Home, text messaging, and the full .NET stack in web or Windows applications. He enjoys solving problems that make the lives of his clients better.
Remya has more than 15 years of software development experience, is very passionate about coding, and is committed to her work. She has extensive experience mainly on .NET frameworks from .NET 2.0 until .NET Core. Remya's main area of focus is building back-end APIs in C# and VB.NET, and she is also experienced in IBM MQ, Apache Kafka, Microservices, and PL/SQL coding.
Dan is a hands-on, full-stack software engineer, cloud systems architect, and technical leader with 20 years of experience. He specializes in Azure, .NET, and React, and development of highly scalable, globally distributed, secure, and resilient software systems targeting the cloud. Dan delivers groundbreaking software; builds stellar software teams; and instills a high-performing engineering culture, using Agile and Lean techniques, DevOps, SOLID principles, and extreme programming practices.
Mauricio is a full-stack developer focused on .NET technologies. To any project, Mauricio brings years of extensive management experience and a well-rounded skill set with proven competencies in organizing and leading successful teams working on highly complex projects in software development. Mauricio’s areas of expertise include various languages (TypeScript, C#, .NET, JavaScript), libraries/APIs (Entity Framework, jQuery), and frameworks (.NET Core, ASP.NET, Angular), among others.
Reza is an accomplished back-end Microsoft engineer with expertise in C#, .NET Core, .NET, Microsoft SQL, WPF, and REST API. He has worked for the last 10 years in fintech and he is a subject matter expert on insurance tracking for lending institutions. Reza's solutions have enabled companies to significantly increase revenue and customer service efficiency and decrease costs.
Cristian is a senior .NET full-stack developer, consultant, contractor, and freelancer with 11+ years of experience. He uses his expertise, skills, and passion to architect, design, and implement top-of-the-line software solutions for companies worldwide, such as UiPath or Adobe. Cristian focuses on exceptional user experience.
Dan is a senior .NET developer and tech lead with 15 years of professional software development experience. In recent years, the main technologies he has used are .NET 6 Web API, C#, Angular, React, and Azure. An intelligent and determined person, Dan won first place at the National Mathematics Olympiad in the eighth grade. He is a contributor to Stack Overflow and will be a great addition to any team.
Stefano is an experienced .NET developer, designer, and architect, working on SOA and enterprise application integrations for 15+ years. A Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD), he uses the Microsoft .NET stack, Java, and other platforms. Stefano is best in small agile teams but works confidently both alone and in big teams. He's developed complex and modular solutions, with three of them currently sold as frameworks and products.
Ken has over 20 years of experience as an independent contractor providing application development services to his customers. For the last 12 years, he has developed applications on the .NET platform. Ken's motivation to deliver value-added solutions and pull projects through to completion has earned him the respect of his clients, resulting in long-term relationships.
.NET developers serve various needs, including work on web, mobile, embedded, and cloud apps. This hiring guide outlines the critical skills, job descriptions, and interview questions to help you pinpoint the best .NET specialist based on your project requirements.
... allows corporations to quickly assemble teams that have the right skills for specific projects.
Despite accelerating demand for coders, Toptal prides itself on almost Ivy League-level vetting.
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Creating an app for the game
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Testimonials
Tripcents wouldn't exist without Toptal. Toptal Projects enabled us to rapidly develop our foundation with a product manager, lead developer, and senior designer. In just over 60 days we went from concept to Alpha. The speed, knowledge, expertise, and flexibility is second to none. The Toptal team were as part of tripcents as any in-house team member of tripcents. They contributed and took ownership of the development just like everyone else. We will continue to use Toptal. As a startup, they are our secret weapon.
Brantley Pace
CEO & Co-Founder
I am more than pleased with our experience with Toptal. The professional I got to work with was on the phone with me within a couple of hours. I knew after discussing my project with him that he was the candidate I wanted. I hired him immediately and he wasted no time in getting to my project, even going the extra mile by adding some great design elements that enhanced our overall look.
Paul Fenley
Director
The developers I was paired with were incredible -- smart, driven, and responsive. It used to be hard to find quality engineers and consultants. Now it isn't.
Ryan Rockefeller
CEO
Toptal understood our project needs immediately. We were matched with an exceptional freelancer from Argentina who, from Day 1, immersed himself in our industry, blended seamlessly with our team, understood our vision, and produced top-notch results. Toptal makes connecting with superior developers and programmers very easy.
Jason Kulik
Co-founder
As a small company with limited resources we can't afford to make expensive mistakes. Toptal provided us with an experienced programmer who was able to hit the ground running and begin contributing immediately. It has been a great experience and one we'd repeat again in a heartbeat.
Stuart Pocknee
Principal
How to Hire .NET Developers Through Toptal
1
Talk to One of Our Industry Experts
A Toptal director of engineering will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2
Work With Hand-Selected Talent
Within days, we'll introduce you to the right .NET developer for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3
The Right Fit, Guaranteed
Work with your new .NET developer for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.
Find Experts With Related Skills
Access a vast pool of skilled developers in our talent network and hire the top 3% within just 48 hours.
Our skilled developers leverage the performance and versatility of the .NET framework to deliver software solutions tailored to your business needs.
.NET Consulting and System Analysis
The technologies in the .NET ecosystem have grown and evolved significantly over time, often leading to system architectures that are unique. Toptal developers become experts in your infrastructure, then use this knowledge to provide actionable recommendations and solutions that leverage the latest in .NET technology.
Cross-platform .NET Core Development
.NET Core applications run natively on multiple platforms, including Windows and Linux, providing a unified development experience. These cross-platform capabilities enable Toptal developers to build software solutions with consistent and reliable performance across a diverse range of environments.
End-to-End ASP.NET Development
Our comprehensive ASP.NET development services cover the full life cycle of your applications, from initial concept to final deployment. Toptal developers use ASP.NET’s powerful tools, like Razor Pages, Blazor, and MVC, to deliver dynamic, reliable, and high-performing applications that provide exceptional user experiences.
.NET API Integration and Management
.NET supports frameworks like WCF and gRPC for API integration and management, enabling seamless communication with external data sources, legacy systems, and third-party services. Our developers also leverage ASP.NET Core to build reliable and secure RESTful APIs and web services from the ground up.
Legacy System Migration and Modernization
Legacy applications form the backbone of countless business processes, however, their outdated technologies often hinder growth and scalability. Our developers ensure a smooth transition to the latest .NET platforms, future-proofing your business systems with modern principles like microservices, containerization, and cloud integration.
Enterprise-grade E-commerce Solutions
The performance, reliability, and security provided by the .NET framework make it a solid foundation for enterprise-grade e-commerce platforms. Our developers have extensive experience in creating flexible, user-friendly e-commerce solutions that are scalable, efficient, and provide a streamlined shopping experience.
Agile Development and Continuous Delivery
Toptal’s Agile-driven .NET development process ensures adaptability, collaboration, rapid development cycles, and timely project delivery. In addition, by incorporating continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices, the likelihood of bugs and other issues in production is minimized, resulting in the highest-quality and most reliable code.
IoT Development with .NET
.NET provides a unified development platform that supports a wide range of applications, including the Internet of Things (IoT). Our developers build optimized solutions for enterprise and consumer smart devices using the .NET framework’s rich ecosystem of libraries and tools dedicated to IoT.
FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a .NET developer?
The cost associated with hiring a .NET developer depends on various factors, including preferred talent location, complexity and size of the project you’re hiring for, seniority, engagement commitment (hourly, part-time, or full-time), and more. In the US, for example, Glassdoor’s reported average total annual pay for .NET developers is $137,680 as of July 28, 2023. With Toptal, you can speak with an expert talent matcher who will help you understand the cost of talent with the right skills and seniority level for your needs. To get started, schedule a call with us — it’s free, and there’s no obligation to hire with Toptal.
How do I hire a .NET developer?
To hire the right .NET developer, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect .NET developers for your project.
Are .NET developers in demand?
Yes, .NET professionals are in high demand. They are versatile experts who can address a variety of project types—whether big or small, and in the mobile, web, gaming, cloud, or embedded spaces—and can build solutions from scratch or fix existing projects. .NET experts bring various benefits to a company and ultimately increase the efficiency of your business. .NET was the most used framework among developers in 2023, and the predicted job growth rate for .NET programmers between 2018 and 2028 is 13%, compared to an average rate of 5%.
How should I choose the best .NET developers for my project?
Choosing the best experts for your project doesn’t have to be challenging or time-consuming. Narrowing down the core requirements for your project and the required developer type will optimize the hiring process. Candidates should have some core technical and soft skills, including:
Experience with C# or VB.
An understanding of .NET features, its common language runtime (CLR), and its development environment (Visual Studio).
Foundations in object-oriented programming, data structures, and design patterns.
Familiarity with databases and relevant tools.
Comprehension of systems engineering principles (e.g., testing, version control, performance).
The ability to collaborate, manage time effectively, be adaptable, and problem-solve.
Aside from these general skills, you should add other requirements based on the type of application you are developing—mobile, web, gaming, cloud, or embedded—and your industry, team, and project technologies.
How quickly can you hire with Toptal?
Typically, you can hire a .NET developer with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent or Managed Delivery, timelines may vary. Our talent matchers are highly skilled in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.
Once you select your .NET developer, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.
Why should I choose .NET for my project?
.NET is a versatile tool with many strengths. It is a reliable, free, open-source, cross-platform framework. You can create web, mobile, embedded, cloud-native, gaming, and microservices applications with .NET and deploy apps to a wide range of devices using a single codebase. If you find .NET developers for your project, you will see various benefits, such as better development efficiency, performance, scalability, and security.
How are Toptal .NET developers different?
At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our .NET developers to ensure we only match you with the highest caliber of talent. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut.
In addition to screening for industry-leading expertise, we also assess candidates’ language and interpersonal skills to ensure that you have a smooth working relationship.
When you hire with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched .NET developers ready to help you achieve your goals.
Can you hire .NET developers on an hourly basis or for project-based tasks?
You can hire .NET developers on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Toptal can also manage the entire project from end-to-end with our Managed Delivery offering. Whether you hire an expert for a full- or part-time position, you’ll have the control and flexibility to scale your team up or down as your needs evolve. Our .NET developers can fully integrate into your existing team for a seamless working experience.
What is the no-risk trial period for Toptal .NET developers?
We make sure that each engagement between you and your .NET developer begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you’re completely satisfied with the results, we’ll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you’d like. If you’re not completely satisfied, you won’t be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.
Pablo is a .NET and database developer and Microsoft-certified expert with more than 17 years of experience. He has worked at large companies like Atos and has built various applications using .NET, such as websites, CRM apps, and database and marketing systems. Pablo single-handedly created a letter management system leveraging database communication and parallelism to handle 500 concurrent users and 7,000 letters daily.
.NET Developers Are Multifaceted Experts in Peak Demand
Microsoft’s .NET framework is the Swiss Army knife of development: It is a powerful, expansive tool for various application types and cloud services. It was the most used framework among developers in 2023, with more than a quarter of respondents to an online survey reporting having worked with .NET. As the framework continues to add value to many projects, companies race to find .NET developers: The predicted job growth rate for .NET programmers between 2018 and 2028 is 13%, compared to an average rate of 5%.
However, .NET’s versatility is a double-edged sword. With so many specializations under the umbrella of .NET engineering, hiring the right expert is no easy task. Your project type will determine the unique hiring process and skill requirements that will match you with a suitable .NET expert.
This guide outlines your next steps in hiring a .NET programmer—whether you are creating a web, mobile, cloud, or microservices app. With these tips, you can target the correct skill requirements, job description, and interview questions for your required .NET engineer specialization.
What attributes distinguish quality .NET Developers from others?
Foundational .NET developer skills are grounded in the .NET framework itself, its complementary languages, its development environment, and object-oriented programming:
.NET – The software framework that builds and runs .NET applications; comprehensive experience with the .NET framework and its common language runtime (CLR) is a must, and developers should be familiar with the latest version of .NET and its most helpful features.
C# – An object-oriented, powerful, and easy-to-learn programming language, and the standard for developing .NET applications; developers may also program .NET apps using the VB programming language.
Visual Studio – The primary development environment for .NET, offering comprehensive tools for building, debugging, and deploying .NET applications; familiarity with Visual Studio is essential for efficient .NET development.
Most modern apps also interact with data and cloud technologies. If your project falls into this category, search for .NET programmers with additional mastery in these areas:
Databases – A vital aspect of any application working with data; .NET candidates should possess experience with common SQL databases (e.g., Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle), understand NoSQL basics, and stay up to date with database trends.
ADO.NET – A data access framework that connects to, queries, and manipulates data from a variety of sources, including databases and XML files, in .NET applications.
LINQ – A set of language extensions to write queries directly in C# that simplifies data retrieval and manipulation across a variety of formats, including arrays, lists, and databases.
In addition, all .NET experts should understand the basics of systems engineering that are critical for any software engineer to deliver results effectively, which include:
Ensuring performance, security, code reliability, and concurrency (i.e., during high peak usage).
Automating testing and using the required relevant tools.
Translating user needs into project requirements.
Creating and validating use cases.
Implementing development best practices like reusability, maintainability, scalability, and design patterns.
Handling code versioning (e.g., with Git) and release management.
Finally, multiple specializations exist under the umbrella of .NET engineering, and the additional core proficiencies required will depend on the developer type.
C# Specialization
Though most .NET professionals should be familiar with .NET programming languages, some experts focus on the framework’s internals and are especially adept at C#. These engineers are best suited for extending the development ecosystem, optimizing app performance, working with classes and methods, and interfacing with external components and systems.
Web App Specialization
Other .NET experts are best suited for web app projects. These are typically ASP.NET engineers specializing in web development (e.g., web servers, Internet Information Services, and networks). The required web .NET developer skills include:
ASP.NET – A web application framework used to build dynamic, interactive websites using .NET; an essential requirement for building web apps with .NET.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – The standard front-end languages used to build the client side of applications; basic knowledge of these languages enables developers to create optimal user experiences and collaborate with teams effectively.
Other Specializations
Although any of these specialists can understand the .NET ecosystem, they may not know how to integrate an embedded application with Azure, add cloud services to an Android app, or develop a desktop application with Windows Forms. Searching for the specific skills relevant to your .NET project and technologies is essential.
How can you identify the ideal .NET Developer for you?
When choosing a project-specific .NET programmer, you must clearly define your project environment and development area before identifying the specific technical knowledge and proficiencies your developer must have.
First, clearly outline your business needs. What technology and build environment are you working in—desktop (e.g., Windows), web (e.g., Azure), mobile (e.g., Android), or some other (e.g., embedded systems)? Narrow down the type of development services you require. Each technology category has different developer requirements you must define:
Machine Learning
Language and tools used, model requirements
Games
Framework(s) used, developer type (e.g., graphics, UI, back-end, or physics programmer)
Mobile
Operating system (e.g., Android or iOS), specialization (e.g., performance, building new features, launching a new app)
Web
Operating system (e.g., Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker), specialization
Desktop
Operating system (e.g., Windows or macOS), specialization
Back End or API
Server/host platform, architecture (e.g., microservices or monolithic)
Cloud
Component boundaries and infrastructure
Next, you may select relevant knowledge and skills based on your project requirements. These include the preferred languages, tools, technologies, and engineering skills that best complement your project focus.
Finally, it is essential to consider whether you would benefit from the skills of a junior, mid-level, or senior .NET engineer. Let’s examine example projects for each developer type:
Junior developers suit simple projects with minimal tech debt or straightforward tasks like CRUD operations or building pages with Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture.
Mid-level developers fit more independent projects like a beta release that requires rapid iterations of improvements and debugging.
Senior developers support mature products with several years in the market, advanced specializations, or projects requiring business and architecture decisions.
In general, junior developers are best for development tasks of small scope. In contrast, more skilled developers possess substantial experience and can independently navigate complex projects with advanced features.
How to Write a .NET Job Description for Your Project
Your job description will depend heavily on the required type of .NET specialist you need. You’ll want to immediately highlight the language (i.e., C# or VB), technology and build environment, and development area you are seeking. Entice candidates to apply by providing specifics and detailing:
The company and its culture.
The engineering team the developer will work with.
The role, its responsibilities, and technologies that are being—or will be—used.
The required skill set and qualifications.
Any perks of the job (e.g., continued learning, mentorship opportunities, company benefits).
A clear explanation of the role, team, and project goes a long way in identifying an engineer who will succeed at your company. You may look to an example .NET developer job description for inspiration on getting started.
What are the most important .NET Developer interview questions?
After screening candidates and identifying your skill requirements, interviewing .NET engineers is the final step to match your application with the right expert. Start with fundamentals that all applicants should know, such as object-oriented programming, .NET versioning, and database topics:
Candidates should confidently explain standard object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts, such as polymorphism, encapsulation, abstraction, and inheritance. You may request examples of situations in which they’ve used OOP. The answer should provide insight into not just how the candidate implements solutions but whether they always treat everything as an object or if they’ve found scenarios where it is valuable to take a different approach.
Are you familiar with specific versions of the .NET framework (e.g., 4.8, 4.7)? Which ones have you used and for what projects?
A seasoned engineer knows different .NET versions, the new features added in recent years, and which libraries changed between versions. They should understand which features best suit different applications (e.g., mobile versus IoT). Your project may not merit a comprehensive understanding of .NET versioning, but any developer worth considering should know how to work with the latest, supported versions of the framework.
Have you used any object-relational mapping (ORM) tools?
If your project involves a relational database, you will want a developer familiar with ORM tools. These technologies make it easier to query and interact with a database using object-oriented paradigms instead of SQL. Look for substantial experience with the specific ORM tools you plan to use (e.g., Entity Framework or NHibernate); if you do not require working with any particular technologies, ask the developer about the tool they are most comfortable using.
To ensure the engineer has real-world project experience and has not just been studying the subject, ask the candidate about challenging or rewarding tasks they’ve completed while working with the .NET framework.
This approach will assess their problem-solving abilities and provide proof of tangible projects they’ve driven to success. You may follow up and request more details about their work with more complex .NET interview questions regarding topics like:
How have you handled memory management in .NET applications?
What is the difference between managed and unmanaged code in the context of .NET development? When have you worked with each?
Can you explain the role of CLR in the .NET framework? How do you typically debug CLR errors?
How does the garbage collector function in .NET? Can it affect the performance of an application?
Finally, when hiring a specialist, you may supplement general .NET questions with additional questions on mobile, web, embedded, or cloud development. Inquire about a candidate’s experience using the technologies most relevant to your project and team workflows.
Why do companies hire .NET Developers?
The question “What does a .NET developer do?” has many answers. .NET engineers are experts in building all kinds of applications, including embedded, mobile, desktop, cloud-native, gaming, and microservices apps. They are performance optimization experts with deep knowledge of data structures, caches, latency, and database communications.
With such a wide range of skills, .NET experts can enhance a company’s application in various ways, depending on a range of business goals, such as:
Development efficiency – Because .NET is well-documented, widely used, and offers many open-source libraries and tools, its developers have support in mastering it and debugging code issues.
Performance – Applications developed using .NET run efficiently because the language is designed to take advantage of the performance capabilities of modern hardware; the benefits multiply with .NET performance specialists on a team.
Scalability – .NET provides several features, such as caching, multithreading, and connection pooling, that can improve the scalability of applications when leveraged by a skilled engineer.
Security – Capable .NET specialists can employ several built-in features such as authorization, authentication, and encryption to secure apps.
Cross-platform compatibility – With the introduction of .NET Core, applications built on .NET can run on multiple platforms (e.g., Windows, Linux, and macOS); this lets .NET experts increase the reach of an application with ease.
The tips in this guide are designed to help you identify your specific .NET needs and pinpoint a developer who can realize your project goals. By hiring a skilled .NET engineer, you can achieve faster time-to-market for new applications—providing the ultimate competitive advantage—and save your company time and money on any project.
The technical content presented in this article was reviewed by Cecil Cossey.
