10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Software Development Company

The Cost of a Bad Software Vendor

In custom software engineering, hiring the wrong partner is a million-dollar mistake. Projects running over schedule, broken staging builds, and critical bugs slipping to production are not "normal development symptoms"—they are indicators of poor engineering hygiene.

1. How do you structure your Git workflow and branch naming conventions?

* Why it matters: Poor branch hygiene causes code overrides and merge conflicts. * Our Standard: We use strict branch prefix rules (`feature/`, `bugfix/`, `hotfix/`) and enforce Conventional Commit syntax to generate transparent changelogs automatically.

2. What is your target code test coverage, and how is it enforced?

* Why it matters: Code written without automated tests will inevitably break when scaling. * Our Standard: We enforce a minimum 80% Jest test coverage gate inside our automated CI/CD pipelines. If coverage drops, the build fails.

3. How do you scan for security vulnerabilities during development?

* Why it matters: SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and leaked API credentials are major compliance threats. * Our Standard: We integrate automated vulnerability scans (Trivy, Snyk, and npm audits) into every code push to flag dependencies containing security threats.

4. Do you support zero-downtime releases? What is your deployment strategy?

* Why it matters: Off-peak maintenance windows disrupt global enterprise workflows. * Our Standard: We configure Blue-Green Deployments where traffic is dynamically shifted between active servers only after verification checks pass.

5. How are database migrations and failed rollbacks handled?

* Why it matters: Failed DB migrations can corrupt active customer tables. * Our Standard: We run database migrations *before* routing users. If a migration fails, the pipeline runs an automated rollback script and blocks the release.

6. What happens if a critical error occurs immediately post-deployment?

* Why it matters: Minor bugs can slip through. Your partner needs automated recovery pipelines. * Our Standard: We run a 30-minute health validation loop post-deploy. If error rates in logs exceed 0.1%, the load balancer immediately rolls back traffic to the previous active server.

7. Do you follow a transparent, documented engineering workflow?

* Why it matters: Lack of clear deliverables per sprint leads to scope creep and missed target deadlines. * Our Standard: We map out our 6-Step Engineering Process—from Discovery to Launch—with clear, predefined deliverables at each phase.

8. What are your review and response SLAs for PR approvals?

* Why it matters: Stalled code reviews slow down the entire engineering velocity. * Our Standard: We follow strict internal SLAs—24 hours for peer PR reviews, 4 hours for standard bug fixes, and 30 minutes for hotfixes.

9. How do you structure project documentation to prevent information silos?

* Why it matters: Knowledge loss when developers leave can delay upgrades by months. * Our Standard: We track assets, files, and blueprints inside a structured Company Docs Hub with strict date-and-version naming rules (`YYYY-MM-DD_Name_v1`).

10. Can I see a direct comparison of custom build vs. SaaS alternatives?

* Why it matters: A trustworthy partner will advise you when *not* to build custom software. * Our Standard: We lay out the pros, cons, and cost metrics transparently. Check our Custom Dev vs. Off-the-Shelf Comparison Guide to see which aligns with your budget.

The Verdict: Demand Technical Excellence

Don't settle for "black box" development. Before hiring your next development partner, verify that they implement modern, test-driven methodologies.