Blockchain technology remains a hot topic because of its untapped potential to revolutionize almost everything in today’s modern world—from government, defense, and healthcare to manufacturing, supply chain, fintech, cybersecurity, and many more industries.
In a dynamic business landscape, blockchain applications are exploding in popularity because of their power to streamline processes and save organizations massive amounts of time and money.
What makes blockchain technology so exciting is its capability to make financial transactions more efficient, secure, transparent, and equitable for all. Think of blockchain as a database or a digital, public, and unchangeable ledger. Each transaction is recorded in the ledger as a data block, and all blocks are stored and connected through cryptographic codes and algorithms. Once a block is recorded, it cannot be tampered with.
The blockchain network is not owned by any single entity, meaning it enables peer-to-peer transactions without the need to go through a bank, a financial institution, or any other third party. The data are stored in a distributed, secure network that keeps all information anonymous and private. Everyone can see and audit all transactions, making all activities on the public ledger transparent.
What Makes Blockchain Developers Stand Out?
The impact of blockchain goes beyond cryptocurrencies and financial transactions. With more companies looking to integrate blockchain technology into their processes and reap massive benefits, it’s no surprise that blockchain jobs are among the most sought-after in today’s IT landscape.
Many tech enthusiasts are now looking at building a lucrative career as blockchain developer, and the job comes with a range of opportunities. But what exactly do blockchain developers do?
A blockchain developer has all the expertise and skillsets necessary to develop, maintain, and optimize blockchain systems, architecture, protocols, and blockchain-based web applications effectively. Blockchain development requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills since it involves building complicated codes from scratch.
There are two main types of blockchain developers: core blockchain developers and blockchain software developers. Core blockchain developers are primarily responsible for laying the groundwork and building a solid foundation for blockchain solutions to work seamlessly. That means developing blockchain architecture, building security, and designing consensus protocols.
Blockchain software developers, meanwhile, are the ones who use the systems designed by core developers to create and execute smart contracts and build decentralized apps or web-based apps.
Blockchain developers also get to lead efforts in creating new and innovative products that can significantly improve tasks. Take, for example, the first-ever voice-over-Bitcoin protocol, Bitcoin Phone—the winner among the top 6 projects at the 2021 BSV Hackathon. Bitcoin Phone enables people to conduct voice calls through the medium of Bitcoin transactions on the BSV blockchain. It also allows payments to be linked to the calls.
Get the Competitive Edge in Blockchain Development
Becoming a blockchain developer comes with its unique set of challenges. But the fulfillment, rewards, and benefits of being one are all worth the perseverance and dedication. You’ll be able to thrive in an exciting and in-demand career that gives you a multitude of opportunities to explore blockchain technology and how it propels businesses and industries to unprecedented heights.
Below is a guide to help you kick-start your journey and get in on all the blockchain action.
- Understand the basics
Without a thorough understanding of all the concepts related to blockchain and cryptocurrency, you won’t be able to build a solid foundation for more advanced pursuits in the field. To truly understand blockchain’s architecture and what the technology is all about, you need to study blockchain terms like mining, distributed ledger technology, decentralized applications, consensus protocols, and cryptographic hash functions.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information security, financial technology, and other related fields will give you a strong head start on the skills needed to successfully work on blockchain technology.
Don’t limit yourself to the formal education route. You can expand your learning and networks by joining online forums, seminars, and communities to further understand the industry and technology.
Take online classes on distributed ledger technologies and read books and articles that will help you keep up to date on the current trends in the field. Don’t be afraid to seek help from mentors who can guide you through the ins and outs of the technology and the industry.
- Learn the process through hands-on experiences
Nothing beats playing around with cryptocurrency and blockchain platforms to get acquainted with the system and its technicalities easily. Immerse yourself in different blockchain networks and platforms, such as Coinbase, Ethereum, and many more.
Learn how the exchanges and different blockchain systems work, weigh their pros and cons, and understand how the framework is structured. Find out how the features of different blockchain platforms differ from one another. Do they cater to B2B cooperation, smart contracts, or initial coin offerings? Do they have stable community bases? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Learn how to code
Coding is a must-have skill if you want to build a strong career in blockchain development. You must learn the following so you can efficiently configure the blockchain according to your specific requirements and preferences:
- Programming Languages
All blockchain developers are not expected to be experts in every programming language. But you must be proficient in a number of them to navigate blockchain programming applications easily. Some of the top blockchain programming languages include Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, Solidity, C#, Ruby, Go, and Rholang.
- Data Structures
Data structures make up the entire blockchain network. As an aspiring blockchain developer, you should familiarize yourself with how various data structures cluster transactions for the public ledger. You should focus on studying data structures like graphs, hash trees, heaps, hash trees, Merkle trees, and Patricia trees.
- Cryptography
What makes blockchain technology most appealing to businesses and stakeholders is its ability to provide secure working systems. Highly effective cryptography algorithms prevent unwanted, unauthorized, or malicious parties from accessing blockchain data. It would help to learn the various aspects of cryptography and concepts that include digital signatures, wallets, and keys. This also entails studying encryption and decryption of public and private keys.
- Web Development
You’ll need extensive experience in all aspects of web development, especially since it is likely that you’ll need to build robust web apps and decentralized apps (dApps) that even a person with little to no knowledge of blockchain can use. This involves designing and developing web apps and ensuring that technologies are in place to secure and optimize them.
Learn about smart contracts
The importance of learning about smart contracts and how they power most blockchain-based solutions cannot be overstated. Simply put, smart contracts enable buyers and sellers to exchange goods and services without an intermediary. These contracts come with their own terms of agreement and are written directly into lines of code. Ethereum, for example, is used as a blockchain platform to encode smart contracts.
Anyone who wants to enter the blockchain development field should learn what smart contracts are and how they enforce business logic. This means getting familiar with Vyper, Chaincode, Solidity, and other network-specific programming languages.
Stay on Track to Blockchain Development Success
Blockchain development can be very challenging and daunting yet exciting and fulfilling. Follow this guide so you can tread the path to a rewarding career. With persistence and hard work, you’ll be able to build blockchain applications and systems that will make an impact in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape.