How to Become a Blockchain Developer?

What is Blockchain Development?

A blockchain is a series of unchangeable data records called blocks, governed by millions of computers and secured by cryptographic principles. They are not controlled by any single individual.

The activity records in a blockchain are all connected by cryptographic principles that are called chains. Each and every block is special and distinctive, and it is only added to the chain after verification and validation by tons of computers.

You can think of the blockchain as a list of transaction data, and on each new transaction, a new block gets added to the blockchain. In addition to this, each block shows the address of the previous block and the current block.

So this is how block-plus chains made blockchain technology.

And the development of blockchain development is pretty much the same as web development.

Still thinking about how to become a blockchain developer in India.

Let’s get to the point and let you all know how to become a blockchain developer in India.

What is Blockchain Developer?

A blockchain developer is a programmer with the knowledge and skills to develop and fine-tune decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts based on blockchain technology, architecture, and protocols.

Smart contracts: Smart contracts describe the terms of an agreement, and unlike regular contracts, they are established and executed through code when a certain condition is met.

Decentralized Applications (dApps): A decentralized application is built on a decentralized peer-to-peer network instead of a centralized server using the concepts of smart contracts and combining it with a visual user interface.

To start with, blockchain developers are of various types. Learning about the types of blockchain developers is important before knowing how to become a blockchain developer.

Role of Core Blockchain Developer

The core blockchain developers are accountable for developing and optimizing architecture. These blockchain developers can design, develop and enhance the protocols that support a blockchain developer.

Thus the roles of core blockchain developers are:

• Designing blockchain protocols.
• Designing the architecture of the entire blockchain network.
• Designing consensus algorithms and managing the security of the blockchain network.
• Administrating the entire network.

One good example is the consensus protocol that states how the member using blockchain and its resources agrees on the terms and conditions. They make final decisions related to such. They implement the blockchain's functionality and characteristics and ensure they work as needed. They develop the security of the network and make sure that the network is properly working.

Role of Blockchain Software Developers

The blockchain software developers develop and execute the design as planned by the core developer. The software developers develop decentralized applications. They execute the smart contracts as per the plan of the core developer. And they make sure that the decentralized app runs as planned.

However, some important roles of blockchain software developers are:

• Developing smart contracts.
• Building imposing user-side designs for Dapps.
• Governing the entire tech stack that is driving their Dapps.

Companies Hiring Blockchain Developers

According to a report, blockchain developers are earning more than USD 120K per year. Normally it is 10-20% more than other developers and programmers in the industry.

Blockchain developers are in high demand, irrespective of the changing crypto future.

Many big enterprises and companies like Accenture, IBM, and Capgemini hire blockchain developers. There are around 500 organizations that are hiring blockchain developers.

A fun fact: For every five blockchain developer jobs, there is only one blockchain developer present. So you can imagine the massive demand for blockchain technology and blockchain developers.

How to Become a Blockchain Developer?

Before diving into anything, it would be helpful to familiarize ourselves with the mindset best suited for a blockchain developer.

If you are among the ones who search on Google for how to become a developer but have no experience or related skills, then let’s be honest, the road will be a little tougher, as you will require more work and dedication.

You can make your way as a successful blockchain developer with dedication and consistency. Here are the steps that you can take to move forward in your journey:

1. Start with the Academics

In the quest to know how to become a blockchain developer, the very first step is to have an academic background in Computer Science (CS) or information technology. Knowledge and understanding of blockchain are important. You can opt for a bachelor's or master’s degree. Although it’s not necessary to have an academic background to become a blockchain developer, this stream will help you understand the technology's basics.

This will give you the right path to mastering blockchain development. In addition to this, a blockchain developer should be skillful in the selection of programming languages. For example Solidity, C++, SQL, JavaScript, and Python. If you have learned some of these languages, then it's great!

However, for acquiring relevant and marketable skills, there is nothing as good as taking courses through a certified training provider.

2. Understand the Basics of Blockchain

To become a blockchain developer, learning the basics of this respective technology is prominent. For this, you can either join a course or an online tutorial platform. Ensure a basic understanding of the common terminologies used in blockchain.

These common terms used in blockchain development are Blockchain, Decentralized, Consensus, Miner, Address, ASIC, Ethereum, Hard Fork, Hash Rate, Public Address, private address, Transaction fees, Smart Contracts, Wallet, Cryptoeconomics, and Cryptography.

3. Get Trained with Required Tech Skills

As said, it is important for blockchain developers to understand blockchain consensus and distributed ledger technology. Ethereum, Bitcoin, Neo, and Hyper Ledger are some important topics you must understand in blockchain technology. We can not skip this part if we are discussing how to become a blockchain developer.

• Programming Languages

It is crucial to understand the programming concept to become a blockchain developer. Good programming language knowledge will help you easily program applications for blockchains and various other tasks. You can choose programming languages like Solidity, Java, or C++. Python, etc.

• Data Structure

Besides programming languages, one more thing you will require is control over the data structure concept. The data structure is used by blockchain developers to program the inflexible and efficient system. You should thoroughly understand several data structures, such as linked lists, heaps, hashing, graphs, and much more.

• Database and Networking

Basic knowledge of database and networking concepts will be required to start off your blockchain developer journey. The knowledge of database and networking concepts will help you learn the mechanism of distributed systems and other crucial concepts for blockchain development technology.

• Cryptography

Cryptography is an important technical skill required to become a blockchain developer. You should have knowledge of various cryptographic concepts like digital signatures, hash functions, and RSA algorithms. All these technologies will lay the foundation of blockchain development.

4. Seek Knowledge of Cryptonomics

One more crucial concept for blockchain development is Cryptonomics.

The term "cryptonomics" is made by combining cryptography and economics. It is a process of understanding the economic concepts of cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency is just a small part of the entire blockchain technology, and it's important to understand its mechanics in detail to understand the basics of blockchain.

5. Learn More about Ethereum and dApps

One of the most crucial parts of blockchain development technology is Ethereum. It is a decentralized blockchain network that is open-source and is used for running smart protocols, smart contracts, and distributed applications.

Decentralized applications are software systems developed on a blockchain platform.

6. Get Some Practical Experience

After gaining all the knowledge, the next thing you have to do is to gain some real experience in the blockchain development niche.

All this experience will help you implement all the theoretical knowledge practically.

For this, you can apply for several internships and training programs and join Reddit Forums and Stack Exchange to connect with all the blockchain professionals and get useful daily insights on the technology.