Alejandro The number of global blockchain users is growing at an unprecedented rate. For example, while there are now 82 million blockchain users worldwide, there were only 10 million in 2016.
As a result, those looking to embark upon a new career within the digital world should consider blockchain development. After all, as a rapidly growing industry, there is plenty of opportunity to progress and earn excellent money in this area.
What is a blockchain?
By definition, a blockchain is a “distributed database or ledger shared among a computer network’s nodes” and is most commonly used within the Crypto industry. A blockchain developer, as the title suggests, works to develop these databases.
5 Steps To Get Started with Blockchain Development
1. GAIN SOME ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Many of those currently working in blockchain development will have a background in computer science, programming, or mathematics. However, despite common misconceptions, you do not need to be degree-educated to work in blockchain development.
Despite this, you should have some qualifications under your belt in order to impress recruiters or gather the relevant skills. For example, you may want to enroll in the following online courses:
- Blockchain Specialization (Coursera)
- Introduction to Blockchain and Crypto (Code Academy)
- Blockchain Developer (Udacity)
2. Understand Blockchain Data Structures
The various data structures used within blockchain development will be covered in any of the courses listed above. However, you may need to conduct additional research to ensure you fully understand them. The most common data structures in blockchain include:
- Merkle trees (Binary Hash trees)
- Arrays
- Linked lists
- Hash tables
3. Learn Blockchain architectures
There are four primary blockchain architectures:
- Public Blockchains.
- Private Blockchains.
- Consortium Blockchains.
- Hybrid Blockchains.
Understanding each of the different architectures can help blockchain developers decide upon a specialty or niche.
4. Research DApps
Learning more about the different components of blockchain development will enable you to pursue a career within this industry. You should begin by learning more about DApps (decentralized apps).
DAPPs refer to apps that run on peer-to-peer networks, as opposed to from a single computer. While there are many forms of DApps, Ethereum is often described as “the leading blockchain ecosystem.”
5. Learn About Smart Contracts and Solidity
Getting to grips with programming languages is crucial when working in blockchain development. While you may be familiar with programming languages such as JavaScript and Python, you should also familiarize yourself with Solidity.
It is also worthwhile to learn about smart contracts. Smart contracts are digitized contracts stored on a blockchain and automatically executed when specific terms are met. For example, the smart contract could be executed when a payment is made or processed.
In short, the key to getting started with blockchain development is to do your research. This way, you understand how both the blockchain and cryptocurrency worlds operate and can put your best foot forward when seeking a career in this industry.
