Agile development
A software development approach based on short cycles (sprints), frequent releases, and constant feedback from users. It helps teams adapt quickly to changing requirements and deliver value faster.
Glossary
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AI & Machine Learning engineers
Engineers who design and build systems that learn from data, using algorithms like neural networks and decision trees. They work on data pipelines, model training, and deploying ML models into production.
AI-powered developers
Software developers who use AI tools and code assistants to write, test, and debug software faster and with fewer errors. They combine traditional programming skills with automation to boost productivity.
Applicant screening
The process of reviewing resumes, profiles, and assessments to decide which candidates move forward in the hiring pipeline. Good screening filters out unqualified applicants early and saves recruiter time.
Automation in hiring
Using software and workflows to automate repetitive recruitment tasks like CV parsing, outreach, reminders, and interview scheduling. It shortens time-to-hire and reduces manual admin.
Backend developer
A software developer who builds the server side of applications, including APIs, databases, and business logic. Their work ensures that front-end interfaces are fast, secure, and reliable.
Billing & invoicing for remote talent
The tools and processes used to track hours, generate invoices, and manage payments for remote developers and contractors. It must handle different currencies, taxes, and contract types.
Blended remote teams
Teams made up of both in-office and remote employees working together on the same projects. This model aims to combine local collaboration with the flexibility of distributed talent.
Blockchain developer
A developer who creates decentralized applications and smart contracts on blockchain platforms such as Ethereum. They focus on security, cryptography, and distributed ledger technologies.
Contract remote engineers
Developers who work from anywhere on a contract basis instead of as full-time employees. They are typically hired for specific projects, skills, or durations.
Cost-saving calculator
An online calculator that compares the cost of different hiring or delivery models, such as local vs offshore developers. It helps businesses estimate potential savings before committing.
Cross-border compliance
Meeting labor, tax, and data-protection rules when working with talent in different countries. Proper cross-border compliance reduces legal risk in global hiring.
Culture fit
How well a candidate’s values, communication style, and work habits match a company’s culture. It’s assessed alongside technical skills to predict long-term collaboration.
Data engineer
An engineer who builds and maintains the data infrastructure, pipelines, warehouses, and ETL processes used by analytics and AI teams. Their goal is to make data clean, reliable, and easy to access.
Data scientist
A specialist who analyzes data and builds predictive models to answer business questions. They use statistics, programming, and machine learning to turn raw data into insights.
Dedicated development team
A long-term team of developers who work exclusively on one client’s product or roadmap. They act like an extension of the in-house engineering team.
DevOps & infrastructure
Practices and tools that connect development and operations, like CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and cloud infrastructure. DevOps aims to ship code faster while keeping systems stable and secure.
Distributed engineering team
An engineering team whose members work from many locations and time zones. They rely on strong processes and remote collaboration tools instead of a shared office.
Employer cost
The full cost of employing someone, including salary, benefits, taxes, equipment, and overhead. It is usually significantly higher than the base salary alone.
Employer of record (EOR)
A third-party company that legally employs workers on behalf of another business in a different country. It handles payroll, contracts, and compliance so companies can hire globally without opening entities.
Engineering leadership (Tech Lead/VP Engineering)
Roles responsible for setting technical direction, mentoring developers, and ensuring projects ship on time and with quality. They balance architecture, delivery, and team health.
Engineering retention
The ability of a company to keep its engineers over time. High retention usually signals good culture, fair pay, and clear growth opportunities.
Experience level (Junior/Mid/Senior/Lead)
A way of categorizing developers by their skills, independence, and impact. Higher levels typically involve more ownership, architectural decisions, and mentoring responsibilities.
Fast hiring (48-hour shortlisting)
A hiring process that delivers a shortlist of qualified candidates within about 48 hours. It relies on pre-vetted talent pools and streamlined screening.
Fixed-price vs. monthly engagement
Two common pricing models for software development: fixed-price for clearly scoped projects with a single fee, and monthly engagement (retainer) for ongoing work billed per month or per full-time equivalent.
Front-end developer
A developer who builds the parts of web and mobile apps that users see and interact with. They work with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern frameworks to deliver fast, responsive interfaces.
Full-stack developer
A developer who can work on both front-end and back-end technologies. Full-stack engineers are able to build entire features from the user interface down to the database.
Geographically distributed teams
Teams whose members are spread across different cities or countries. They often work asynchronously and need clear documentation and communication norms.
Global talent pool
The worldwide population of professionals available for remote work. Tapping into a global talent pool lets companies find niche skills and better rates beyond their local market.
Growth-stage startup hiring
Hiring strategies used by startups that have product-market fit and funding, and now need to scale quickly. The focus is on speed, ownership, and flexible team structures.
High-retention engineering team
An engineering team where developers tend to stay for several years. It usually reflects strong leadership, interesting work, and competitive compensation.
Hiring pipeline
The stages that a candidate passes through, from sourcing to offer and onboarding. A well-managed hiring pipeline makes it easy to see where candidates are and where bottlenecks appear.
Hybrid remote team
A team where some people work on-site and others work remotely. Success depends on remote-friendly practices so that office and remote staff have equal access to information.
Intelligent talent matching
Using structured data and algorithms to match roles with the best-fit candidates based on skills, experience, and preferences. It increases the quality and speed of hiring decisions.
International payroll & benefits
Systems that pay employees and contractors in different countries while complying with local tax and labor laws. They manage currency conversion, statutory benefits, and reporting.
Interview-ready candidates
Candidates who have already passed initial screening and skill checks and are ready to speak with the hiring team. This reduces time wasted on unqualified interviews.
Job requirements scoping
Defining the responsibilities, skills, and experience needed for a role before starting recruitment. Good scoping leads to better job descriptions and more relevant applicants.
Job-ready engineers
Engineers whose skills, tooling knowledge, and communication make them ready to contribute to a project almost immediately. They require minimal ramp-up and training.
Junior developer
A developer at the early stage of their career who is still building experience. They contribute to tasks under guidance and benefit from mentorship and clear requirements.
Key engineering roles (FE/BE/FS/DevOps/Data/AI)
Core roles in modern software teams: front-end, back-end, full-stack, DevOps, data engineering, and AI/ML. Each role focuses on different layers of the product stack.
Knowledge transfer in remote teams
The structured sharing of expertise - through documentation, code reviews, pair programming, and recorded demos - so that knowledge does not sit with one person. It is especially important in distributed teams.
Local vs offshore cost comparison
A comparison of the total cost of hiring local employees versus offshore or nearshore developers. It typically includes salaries, benefits, taxes, and overhead.
Location-independent hiring
Hiring based on skills and fit rather than physical location. It allows companies to work with remote developers from any country.
Long-term remote engagement
A remote working arrangement where a developer stays with the same client for many months or years. It offers stability, deep product knowledge, and low turnover.
Managed remote team
A remote team that comes with its own management layer to handle coordination, reporting, and processes. Clients set priorities while the provider oversees daily delivery.
Manual QA engineer
A quality assurance specialist who tests software manually by following test cases and exploring edge cases. They focus on finding bugs before users do.
Mid-level developer
A developer with several years of experience who can own features end-to-end, make technical decisions, and support junior teammates. They require limited day-to-day supervision.
Monthly developer rate
The monthly cost of engaging a developer, often expressed per full-time equivalent (FTE). It includes the developer’s compensation and any service provider fees.
Nearshore/offshore hiring
Hiring developers in nearby countries (nearshore) or lower-cost regions farther away (offshore). Both models can reduce costs while providing access to specialized skills.
Notice period & replacement guarantee
Contract terms specifying how much notice is required to end an engagement and whether a replacement developer will be provided if someone leaves. These reduce risk and ensure continuity.
Offshore development team (Vietnam)
A software team based in Vietnam that builds products for clients in other countries. It offers strong engineering skills at competitive costs compared with Western markets.
Onboarding remote engineers
The process of getting new remote developers set up with tools, access, expectations, and introductions. Good onboarding leads to faster ramp-up and better engagement.
Outcome-based hiring
A hiring approach that defines success in terms of business outcomes - such as features shipped or performance gains-rather than just hours worked. It aligns hiring with measurable results.
Partner startup/client
A company that collaborates long term with a service provider on product development or engineering capacity. The relationship is strategic, not just transactional.
Performance tracking for remote engineers
Measuring the impact of remote developers using metrics like delivery, code quality, collaboration, and feedback rather than micromanaging time spent. It supports fair reviews and growth.
Platform-managed payroll
Payroll run through a cloud platform that automates calculations, payments, and compliance. It is especially useful for managing multi-country teams and contractors.
Product development team
A cross-functional team - engineers, designers, and product managers-that owns the full lifecycle of a product or feature. They are responsible for discovery, delivery, and continuous improvement.
QA engineer (manual/automation)
A specialist who ensures software quality through manual testing and/or automated test scripts. Automation QA engineers build frameworks to run tests repeatedly in CI/CD pipelines.
Quality-vetted engineers
Developers who have passed structured technical assessments, interviews, and background checks. This pre-vetting reduces hiring risk and shortens evaluation time.
Remote developer
A software developer who works from a location outside the company’s office, often from another city or country. They collaborate through online tools and remote-friendly processes.
Remote-first team
A team designed with remote work as the default, even if some people visit offices. Communication, documentation, and decision-making are optimized for distributed work.
Retention rate
The percentage of employees or contractors who stay with an organization over a given time. High retention is a sign of a healthy culture and competitive compensation.
Risk-free trial
A trial period where a company can work with a developer or service with low or no commitment if the fit is not right. It reduces the perceived risk of starting a new engagement.
Salary benchmarking
Researching market rates for specific roles and locations to ensure compensation is competitive. It supports fair offers and helps attract top talent.
Scaling engineering teams
The process of growing an engineering organization while keeping productivity and quality high. It involves hiring, onboarding, processes, and leadership development.
Senior engineer
An experienced developer who leads technical decisions, designs systems, and mentors other engineers. They are expected to balance speed, quality, and long-term maintainability.
Software development team
A group of engineers and related roles who design, build, test, and maintain software products. Team composition varies but usually mixes different seniority levels and skill sets.
Staff augmentation
A model where external engineers are added to internal teams to fill skill or capacity gaps, without replacing the core staff. It gives companies flexible engineering capacity.
Tech lead
An engineer who leads a project or squad from a technical perspective. They guide architecture, review code, and act as the bridge between engineering and product.
Technical interview process
A structured set of interviews and tests used to evaluate a candidate’s technical skills, such as coding, debugging, and system design. A clear process improves fairness and hiring accuracy.
Time-zone aligned talent
Remote developers whose working hours overlap significantly with a client’s time zone. This overlap makes real-time communication and collaboration easier.
Top 1% engineers (Vietnam)
A term often used to describe a small, highly selective group of Vietnamese developers who rank at the top in skill tests, experience, and performance. It signals rigorous vetting and elite talent.
Upskilling & continuous learning
The ongoing process of learning new tools, languages, and best practices to stay current in the tech industry. Developers often upskill through courses, certifications, and real projects.
US-ready engineers
Engineers who are prepared to work with US-based clients, usually with strong English skills, overlapping working hours, and familiarity with US tools and collaboration norms.
Value-based pricing
A pricing model based on the business value delivered rather than just time or cost. It links fees to outcomes such as revenue impact, savings, or speed.
VC-backed startup hiring
Hiring strategies for startups funded by venture capital, where speed, experimentation, and high growth are priorities. These startups often need to scale engineering teams quickly.
Vietnam engineering talent hub
Vietnam’s growing ecosystem of software engineers, tech universities, and IT companies. It is recognized as a competitive hub for offshore development and remote engineering teams.
Work tracking & reporting
Using tools and processes to log tasks, progress, and time spent on projects. Clear work tracking helps managers understand capacity and delivery across remote teams.
Workflow integration (tools & processes)
Connecting tools like project management, code repositories, and communication platforms so data flows automatically between them. Good integration reduces manual work and errors.
Worldwide remote hiring
Sourcing and employing talent from any region, enabled by remote work and global employment platforms. It maximizes access to skills but requires strong compliance and communication practices.
Year-over-year scaling of dev team
How much the size of a development team grows from one year to the next. It reflects both business growth and hiring capacity.
Yearly employer cost
The total amount a company spends on an employee in one year, including salary, bonuses, benefits, taxes, and overhead. It is a key metric for workforce planning and budget decisions.
Zero overhead for HR, payroll & compliance
A setup where HR administration, global payroll, and legal compliance are handled by a provider or platform rather than internally. This lets companies focus on product and growth instead of operations.
Zero-friction hiring process
A streamlined recruitment process with clear stages, automation, and fast feedback so candidates and hiring managers face minimal delays. It helps companies secure top talent before competitors.