Skills Needed to Become a Blockchain Developer

One of the fastest growing sectors is blockchain development. Companies are seeking blockchain developers to help them implement new systems and advance their existing ones, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

The technology industry is constantly evolving. If you want to make a career out of it, then Blockchain is your best option. Check out our Blockchain Technology program.

This is why blockchain developers are at the best time.

Blockchain developer skills are a combination hard and soft skills. To become a blockchain developer you need to first master the skills required. We'll be discussing the same in this article. So, let's get started:

A Short Look at Blockchain Developers

Today Blockchain applications are changing the world of technology. The entire lifecycle of a blockchain app is managed by Blockchain developers. This means that you will be responsible for both the research and execution of the application.

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They design the system's architecture, create smart contracts and optimize the protocols. You probably know that they have many responsibilities. This is why it's important to acquire many blockchain skills in order to solve all the problems associated with blockchain development.

Other professionals can also assist a blockchain developer, such as a Blockchain engineer.

Types Of Blockchain Developers

Blockchain developers come in two types:

Blockchain software developer

Core blockchain developer

Both are involved with blockchain development, but they have different responsibilities. Let's take a closer look at each of them to see what their responsibilities are.

Blockchain Software

Software developers who specialize in blockchain software build apps based on the protocol and architecture of blockchain. They also run their apps on the blockchain. These apps can be compared to web developers who use the products and design of a web architect to create web applications.

Dapps, or decentralized applications, are created by blockchain software developers. They are responsible for both the front-end and back-end development Dapps. They are also responsible for the Dapps stack.

Core Blockchain

These developers are responsible for the architecture development of a Blockchain system. They create the consensus protocol and take most of the key decisions regarding blockchain. They oversee the network and design its architecture. They are also responsible for security and maintenance of the blockchain network.

Top Blockchain Developer Skills

You've probably noticed that blockchain developers have many responsibilities. They need to have a few skills in order to effectively manage these responsibilities. To be a successful blockchain developer, there are certain skills you need. These are the essential skills needed to manage and face blockchain development.

Cryptography

Cryptography is the study and application of protocols to prevent unauthorised parties from accessing your data. You should be familiarized with the key concepts of cryptography as they will be essential for blockchain development.

Public-key cryptography, for example, is an important topic in blockchain. It is the foundation for all transactions made using cryptocurrencies.

You will need a wallet and the key for that wallet to make cryptocurrency transactions. This key is essential as it proves ownership of your wallet. Cryptocurrency transactions are saved by encryption and decryption using public and private keys.

Cryptographic hashing is another important concept in Cryptography. Hashing is the process of producing an output with a particular length from inputs of any length. You can have 20 characters or 200 characters in the hash function, but it will only produce information of the specified length.

Cryptography is essential for the functioning of blockchain technology. It is important to learn more about cryptography and all its aspects, including those we have discussed. You'll be able keep your blockchain data secure with this knowledge.

Smart Contracts

Smart contracts have been a buzzword in the blockchain industry since the introduction of Ethereum. Nearly every blockchain solution wants smart contracts to their advantage. This technology is extremely powerful.

Smart contracts allow two parties to exchange goods and services without the need for an intermediary. Smart contracts can be compared to vending machines. You pay the money, select the product you wish to purchase, and then receive the product with any remaining change. This transaction is only between you and the vending machines. There's no third party involved.

Smart contracts only end when both parties meet their conditions. Because blockchain is decentralized, it's extremely efficient. This means that hundreds of people can monitor your smart contract. They also work on an IF–Then basis so there is always the possibility of making mistakes.

Smart contracts can be used in many industries including law and construction. Smart contracts can eliminate middlemen and save money and resources.

Smart contracts are essential for blockchain developers. This is an essential skill for any blockchain developer. Many languages, including Chaincode and Viper, are focused on smart contract development.

Data Structures

To become a blockchain developer, you will need to be familiar with data structures. Because blockchain developers are constantly working with different data structures as they build and implement networks, it's important to have a solid understanding of them.

As a data structure, the entire blockchain network is comprised of data structures. A block is one example of a data structure. Because a block clusters transactions for a public ledger, it is essentially a container data structure. The public ledger is the Blockchain.

A block can also contain a header. The former is approximately 10,000x bigger than the latter . Data structures are the core concept of blockchain, as you can see. To fully understand blockchain technology, you will need to be able to master data structures.

Understanding data structures is essential to understand the basics of blockchain. A solid foundation will help you understand the more advanced concepts faster. You'll use both cryptography and cryptography to create reliable, secure, and useful solutions.

Blockchain Architecture

You need to be familiar with the blockchain architecture in order to become a blockchain developer. It is important to understand what a blockchain ledger is, how consensus works, and what smart contracts are.

Blockchain architecture comes in three types:

Consortium architecture

The consortium architecture doesn't have to be completely decentralized. The members of a consortium have all the authority. These cases are where multiple organizations make up the group. This is the case of the Energy Web Foundation, which is an excellent example of a blockchain architecture type.

Private architecture

Only a small number of people can be part of a private blockchain architecture. This is a very popular app within companies. Famous examples of such architecture include Sawtooth and Fabric. They are also not decentralized, which is another important characteristic of such architecture.

Public architecture

Public architecture is the most decentralized form of blockchain architecture. You can join the network by mining or making transactions. Bitcoin is the most well-known example of public blockchain architecture, and you should have heard about it by now.

To get familiar with the topic, you should read the whitepaper on bitcoin and blockchain. Although it takes some effort, it is well worth it. You will learn all the basic concepts and advanced concepts.

Web Development

You will be creating web apps as a blockchain developer in most cases. You will learn web development and be able to use that knowledge to build robust web apps using blockchain technology.

To develop better Dapps, you will need to be proficient in web design, programming, and development. Because most organizations need blockchain developers to develop apps that are accessible to all users, web development is essential. This is where a lot of experience in design can help.

Languages That You Must Be able to Understand

Blockchain development is vast. You should consider learning programming languages in addition to the topics that we have discussed. Beginners often ask, "What programming languages should I learn in order to be a blockchain developer?"

These are the languages that you should be proficient in to build your blockchain skills.

Java

Because of its many advantages, Java is a popular choice for blockchain developers. Although it is easy to learn, Java can be used to develop complex solutions. NEM, a popular cryptocurrency, is built on Java. Java is home to more than 9,000,000 developers. It's also been around since 1995. Java is an old technology, but it's still vital for developing blockchain applications.

C++

C++ is a very popular language for blockchain developers. It can be used to perform many tasks related to blockchain technology. It's a must-have tool for anyone who wants to develop blockchain applications.

Python

Python is one of the most used programming languages. It is versatile and has many libraries that allow you to use it both for front-end and back-end development. You should also be familiar with Python.

Python is home to a large community of over 4 million developers. A supportive and active community of Python developers can help you with your many questions and problems.

Along with the languages mentioned, you can also learn JavaScript and Ruby. One of the most important skills for blockchain developers is the ability to learn and use multiple languages.