FAQ
How to Become a Blockchain Developer from Scratch in 2022.
Cartesi is answering the public — part 4.
Blockchain developers are in high demand as more businesses learn about and begin to embrace blockchain technology. But how can you become one? In this article, we’ll take a look at the steps you can take to become a blockchain developer from scratch in 2022 and get started on building your own blockchain apps, too!
Why should I become a blockchain developer?
There is a big trend toward blockchains and decentralized systems and new blockchain-based services are being developed every day. If you want to become a blockchain developer you can use your technical skills while working with cutting-edge technology and make a lot of money while doing it. It’s important that you keep up to date with the latest developments in blockchain technology since it’s evolving faster than other technologies around it.
The demand for blockchain developers has been increasing exponentially over the last few years as more companies realize the potential benefits that this revolutionary technology offers.
As reported by Cointelegraph, the overall percentage of crypto and blockchain job ads on Indeed’s platform has increased by 118% as of mid-July 2021 compared to early September 2020. JP Morgan has also started accepting applications for blockchain-focused software developers, and Amazon has been looking for someone to lead its digital currency and blockchain strategy and product roadmap with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy remarking it might be possible to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on its platform in the future.
Right now, some of the most popular occupations related to this field are Cryptocurrency Engineer, Data Scientist, Full Stack Developer, Software Engineer — Generalist, Front End Developer, and Junior Web Application Developer.
What technical skills do I need to become a blockchain developer?
No matter what your prior experience, you can benefit from understanding how blockchains work, and how they can be used for different purposes. There are many online resources that can help you understand what blockchains are and how they operate.
A good place to start is the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute, which offers a series of articles written by experts in the field. It also has some great interactive resources that provide step-by-step instructions on how to write smart contracts. Finally, it’s important to be aware of new developments in the industry — cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but there are already newer types of coins being created every day!
The main thing that makes a blockchain developer is coding skills. Any developer or software engineer with a background in technical development can become a blockchain developer, but they will first need to learn how to program using blockchain technology. The simplest way to do that is by taking courses specifically designed for blockchain and cryptocurrency developers. There are many online resources available on websites like Coursera, Udemy, and CryptoZombies so you can follow along even if you don’t have any previous experience with these technologies. If you’re looking for free resources, YouTubers like Tech with Tim have a whole series to help beginners start coding their first smart contracts with blockchain.
After you have an understanding of blockchain technology, it’s time to decide what you want to work on. There are several different areas where blockchain developers can focus their efforts. Some of these include writing code for public blockchains (such as Ethereum), creating private enterprise blockchains, creating tools for storing data (blockchain databases), etc. Each area requires specific knowledge and expertise, so it’s best to choose based on your interests.
And what about essential non-technical skills a blockchain developer needs?
While blockchain developers should be comfortable with programming languages such as Java, Python, JavaScript, and Solidity as well as a basic understanding of blockchain, blockchain networks, and how they work, there are also some non-technical skills to also keep in mind!
A blockchain developer needs to have excellent communication skills to be able to effectively work with different departments. It is important for them to work closely with people in their team as well as outside their team, such as an IT manager or project manager. A developer should be focused and have excellent time management skills.
Developers must not only be good coders, but they also need to have strong problem-solving skills to overcome any challenges that come their way. The knowledge required for blockchain developers is vast and encompasses areas such as mathematics, coding, and information technology.
Do I have to learn Solidity to become a blockchain developer?
Solidity is a programming language that runs on the Ethereum Virtual Machine. It is referred to as a high-level language. Developers can create programs using prebuilt code snippets thanks to object-oriented programming (OOPs).
It is said to be much easier to learn than Bitcoin Script, but it still requires you to have a fair understanding of how a blockchain works. At the moment, if you want to work with any Smart Contract development projects and run code on Ethereum, then yes — you need to learn Solidity.
Anyone with a basic understanding of other, more popular coding languages like C++, Java, JavaScript, and Python will find Solidity to be especially user-friendly. People who are already familiar with the fundamentals of programming and the previously mentioned coding languages can learn Solidity more quickly, but even then it can take a month or six to learn.
Cartesi’s The Blockchain OS aims to help mainstream developers move beyond Solidity and code smart contracts directly with rich software tools, libraries, and services developers are used to. All while, being free from the scalability limits of blockchain.
The Blockchain OS offers a Linux operating system coupled with a blockchain infrastructure, which allows DApps to be developed in familiar programming languages like Python without the need to write Solidity code.
Start coding on blockchain today with The Blockchain OS
As a developer, you can use all the programming languages, tools, libraries, software, and services you are already familiar with. By moving most of the complex logic of your DApps (decentralized applications) to portable off-chain components, you’re freed from the limitations and idiosyncrasies imposed by blockchains. Cartesi empowers developers like you to select the best run-time environment in which to host each part of your DApps.
Other blockchain platforms do not allow you to develop a DApp that uses a file system, an SQL database, or a machine learning model. Generally, there are also harsh limitations related to gas limits and high fees when performing computations such as looping over arrays and manipulating strings, which are commonplace in regular mainstream applications.
Today there are a large number of developers and companies who want to enter the blockchain world but face a steep learning curve and a confusing landscape. Cartesi solves this with The Blockchain OS so that you can develop a DApp using any traditional software stack.
Want to learn more about the topics in this article?
Check out the first video in the Blockchain for Beginners series from Tech with Tim:
About Cartesi
The Blockchain OS is a decentralized layer-2 infrastructure that supports Linux and mainstream software components. For the first time, developers can code scalable smart contracts with rich software tools, libraries, and the services they’re used to, bridging the gap between mainstream software and blockchain.
Cartesi is enabling millions of new startups and their developers to use The Blockchain OS and bring Linux applications on board. With a groundbreaking virtual machine, optimistic rollups, and side-chains, Cartesi paves the way for developers of all kinds, to build the next generation of blockchain apps.
Welcome to The Blockchain OS, home to what’s next.
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