Java Developer Hiring Trends in London, United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jul 20, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software Java Engineers job market in United Kingdom London has demonstrated volatility over the last three months, with a peak of 79 new job postings indicating strong demand, contrasted by a notable 62 closures, emphasizing the need for effective recruitment strategies.
London is the central hub for Software Java Developer opportunities, comprising 89% of national job openings, thus highlighting the significant concentration of roles in this city and its importance for hiring managers.
There is a strong preference for Mid-Senior level professionals, making up 76% of total job openings, suggesting the necessity for targeted recruitment strategies focused on this segment to meet the growing demands in the tech sector.
With 91% of opportunities being full-time, the Software Java job market in United Kingdom London reflects hiring managers' preference for committed talent, further corroborating the competitive nature of this landscape.
The median time to hire Software Engineers in the United Kingdom stands at 28 days, with 30% of candidates secured within 30 days, signaling a brisk hiring pace but also the importance of timely recruitment efforts.

Number of roles opened and closed for Java Engineers in London in the last 3 months

Over the past 12 weeks, the Software Java Engineer job market in United Kingdom London has exhibited significant fluctuations, highlighted by a peak of 79 new job postings in week 21. This surge indicates a robust demand for Software Java Developers, contrasting sharply with the number of closed positions, which reached a high of 62 in week 24. Furthermore, the difference between newly opened and closed jobs underscores the competitive landscape, which is more pronounced in London than in many other European countries. Hiring managers must adapt their recruitment strategies accordingly to attract talent amid these trends.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	79
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	77
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	77
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	36
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	35
e-Careers	null	null	null	31
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	30
JPMorganChase	United States	Financial Services	null	27
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	26
Mindrift	United States	Information Technology & Services	null	25

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in United Kingdom

The software job market in Europe shows significant disparities in the availability of talent versus job openings for Software Java Engineers. In the United Kingdom, with a pivotal market centered in London, there are numerous openings but a comparatively smaller talent pool, resulting in a challenging hiring environment. In contrast, countries such as Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands exhibit a larger talent base relative to their job listings, suggesting a somewhat easier recruitment process. This analysis indicates that hiring managers in the UK may face increased competition for talent, making effective recruitment strategies essential to secure qualified Software Java Developers amidst the burgeoning demand.

Seniority distribution of Java Engineer job openings in London

Seniority Distribution of Java Engineering Jobs in London

In the United Kingdom's London market, the seniority distribution for Software Java Engineering positions reveals a significant demand for Mid-Senior level professionals, accounting for 76% of total job openings. Entry level roles comprise 10%, while Director positions make up 5%. This distribution highlights the necessity for hiring managers to focus on establishing recruitment strategies targeting the Mid-Senior level segment to meet the growing demands of the tech sector.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the competitive landscape of the software Java Engineers job market in the United Kingdom, particularly in London, full-time positions dominate with a substantial 91% of the total job offerings. Contract roles represent 9% of available opportunities, while part-time positions account for just 3%. This distribution underscores the emphasis on full-time employment, reflecting hiring managers' preference for committed talent in developing robust software solutions.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire distribution for software roles in the United Kingdom reveals noteworthy trends relevant for hiring managers and recruiters. Most notably, the data indicates that 30% of candidates are hired within 30 days, while a significant portion, approximately 24%, takes between 30 to 40 days. This illustrates that while there is a brisk hiring pace for Software Java Developers, a notable number of roles extend beyond this initial period. With 21 positions filled within the first day, it also suggests potential urgency within the market. Understanding these hiring timelines can inform recruitment strategies for CTOs and engineering managers looking to attract top talent in the competitive landscape of Software Java Engineers in the United Kingdom.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Insights for hiring C++ Engineers in Stockholm

The Software C++ job market in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, has experienced notable fluctuations in job openings over the last 12 weeks, with a peak of 16 new positions posted during week 23, followed by an average of 3 jobs per week by week 32.

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Insights for hiring PHP Engineers in Poland

The Software PHP Engineer job market in Poland is exhibiting notable fluctuations, with a peak of 188 new positions in week 21, but also a low of just 10 postings in week 25, indicating volatile demand for Software PHP Developers.

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Insights for hiring Rust Engineers in Vilnius

The Software Rust Engineers job market in Lithuania, particularly in Vilnius, is currently experiencing a net decrease in available roles, with 12 new positions opened against 40 closures over the past 12 weeks. This trend underscores the challenges in retaining Software Rust talent and suggests an adjustment in recruitment strategies may be necessary for hiring managers.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

In the United Kingdom, the software Java Engineer job market is predominantly concentrated in London, which accounts for 89% of the total job openings. Manchester follows, contributing 7% to the national job landscape, while Leeds and Cambridge represent 5% and 5% respectively. This distribution underscores the importance of London as a hub for Software Java Developer opportunities, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in London for Java

Key technologies for Java Engineers

The software development landscape in the United Kingdom, particularly in London, reveals a heavy reliance on various technologies that are critical for Software Java Engineer roles. The most prominent technology, Java, stands out with an impressive frequency of 5,606 mentions in job descriptions, underscoring its fundamental importance in the sector. Additionally, Spring and Spring Boot are also significant, with 1,282 and 1,350 occurrences respectively, highlighting the necessity for developers to be proficient in these frameworks. Other noteworthy technologies include Microservices at 1,376, SQL at 1,087, and AWS at 760, all of which are pivotal for the deployment and management of Java applications. A detailed chart accompanying this paragraph illustrates these trends, providing further insight into the technology preferences within the Software Java job market.

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