Shaping the Future Together: The Journey of Move Developers DAO in Fostering Collaborative Learning on Aptos

One of the most important aspects of blockchain development is choosing the right programming language for the task. There are many programming languages that can be used for blockchain development, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some languages are designed specifically for writing smart contracts, which are the core components of the programmable blockchain. Other languages are more general-purpose and can be used for various aspects of blockchain development, such as creating user interfaces, testing, and debugging.

Among the many programming languages for blockchain development, there is one that stands out for its security, scalability, and interoperability: Move. Developed by Facebook for the Diem blockchain originally, Move is a programming language that enables safe and verifiable smart contracts.

Designed as an object-oriented language, Move is tailored for crafting smart contracts with robust resource management. Assets are treated as “resources,” enabling secure transfer between accounts without the risk of duplication or double-spending. Unlike Solidity, where asset transfers must be manually specified, Move’s design minimizes error-prone coding. Central to Move’s security is its resource model, ensuring single-threaded access to resources, thwarting reentrancy attacks. Move also boasts a parallel processing model, leveraging its resource management for faster execution and scalability. Move’s unique memory management system transfers data ownership between resources, enforced by a linear type system. This prevents data races and use-after-free errors common in other languages. Security is paramount in Move, evident through its built-in formal verification tools and emphasis on code correctness. With features like resource ownership and borrowing, Move prioritizes safety, efficiency, and minimal gas fees.

Web3 infrastructure is an emerging and dynamic domain, but it struggles to attract the vast majority of developers who are not well-versed in web3 concepts and tools. A prevalent issue in developer outreach within this domain is the tendency of most Web3 platforms to cater primarily to a niche subset of developers, resulting in a division between Web3 and Web2. However, the Move language emerges as a promising solution to this challenge. Move on Aptos not only boasts the largest and most dynamic Move developer community but also ranks among the top non-EVM chains in the market, as highlighted in Electric Capital’s latest Developer Report.

With Move on Aptos, developers gain access to a secure, swift, and user-friendly platform, empowering them to translate their ideas into reality and spearhead the development of next-generation applications for the Web3 era. But learning a new programming language can be challenging, especially when there are not many resources or tutorials available. That’s why a group of passionate developers decided to form Move Developers DAO (MDD), the largest Move developer community in India. MDD is a DAO focused on launching education initiatives for web3 enthusiasts. Community members work together to launch projects on Aptos supported entirely by the MDD team. They provide extensive support to developers, including education, grants, hiring, and tooling resources.

We had the opportunity to chat with some of the core members of MDD and learn more about their vision, their projects, and their tips for aspiring Move developers. Here is what they shared with us:

What is MDD and your vision?

Move Developers DAO is the largest Move Developer community of India. We are DAO focused on launching education initiatives for Web3 enthusiasts. Community members work together to launch projects on Aptos supported entirely by the MDD team. We provide extensive support to developers, including education, grants, hiring, and tooling resources. Our mission is to onboard the next 100k+ developers to Move and create a comprehensive roadmap for all developers looking to kick-start their #buidl journey.

How does MDD contribute to the Aptos ecosystem?

Developers looking to get started in Move can join our discord and follow the reading materials shared in channels. Developers are present 24–7 for solving doubts. Weekly technical doubt sessions will be started from the new year. MDD is by far the largest educational resource contributor on Aptos. As a community, we build public goods, micro products, and educational resources on Aptos.

How can interested developers join or collaborate with MDD?

You can find all relevant links here — linktr.ee/movedevelopers. There is no friction in joining the community. For contribution, check our GitHub, bounty programs, or the registry board by Aptos. Developers can simply come to us with their ideas, we help them create a team and strategize the idea and support from ideation to launch.

How could a new developer on Aptos approach Move to take the first step into learning the language for the first time?

You can follow the Aptos official documentation and MDD’s Move by Example booklet, which contains all the concepts from basic to advance with examples. Developer hub is a great resource by MDD with a collection of all blogs, articles, tutorials for Move and Aptos. Move Developers DAO recently launched a YouTube channel for more visual learning. Overmind Quests are great for practicing real-world applications. You may also join the Aptos and MDD discord channels and ask all your doubts there.

What are some of the benefits and challenges of working in a decentralized and distributed team?

Working in a decentralized and distributed team comes with its own set of benefits and challenges.

• You can tap into a diverse pool of talent from around the world, allowing you to assemble a team with a wide range of skills and perspectives.
• Team members can work from the comfort of their own homes or choose locations that suit their preferences. This flexibility can improve work-life balance and job satisfaction.
• Limited face-to-face interaction can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
• Building a strong team culture and fostering a sense of belonging can be more challenging when team members are physically distant.

What are some of the best practices and tips for learning and using Move on Aptos?

Here are some of our suggestions:

• Start with the basics, for this check out the MDD gitbook.
• After learning the basic stuff, start making simple DApps like To-Do List, Voting system, and NFT minting contracts.
• Also, you can solve quests from Overmind, a great way to learn Move programming language.
• Join the community and network with other developers. Share your ideas, feedback, and questions. Learn from each other and collaborate on projects.

This interview with MDD has provided us with valuable insights into Move and the community aspect of development on Aptos. We appreciate MDD’s time and expertise, and we are eager to see more of their remarkable work on Aptos. If you want to learn and use Move on Aptos, you can join a supportive and collaborative community of developers who are willing to help. Aptos offers a unique opportunity for developers to work together in a close-knit and inclusive environment, where they can exchange ideas, feedback, and questions. MDD is a good example of how Move developers can collaborate to create innovative and impactful projects on Aptos.

To learn more about the Move Developers DAO and their projects, visit their website or follow them on Twitter, YouTube, and GitHub. You can find the links below:

• Website: [MoveDevelopersDAO]
• X: [Move Developers DAO (MDD) (@MoveBuilders) / X (twitter.com)]
• YouTube: [Move Developers DAO — YouTube]
• GitHub: [https://github.com/movedevs]

Happy coding!