In the 21st century, blockchain technology has witnessed exponential growth within a short span of time. Undoubtedly, the surge in its popularity has led to the rising demand for blockchain developers. Yes, you heard it right. Currently, blockchain developers are in high demand across diverse industries and sectors.
Blockchain developers act as the chief agents who are able to leverage blockchain technology to the fullest. If you are passionate about becoming a blockchain developer, now is the perfect time to take the plunge into the professional setting. The icing on the cake is that there are a diverse range of blockchain developer roles that you can choose from to reach your professional aspirations.
Who is a blockchain developer?
Are you wondering – Who is a blockchain developer, and what does a blockchain developer do? If yes, your questions will be answered right now. A blockchain developer is a software developer professional whose work revolves around blockchain technology. Blockchain developers are responsible for designing, creating, testing, and maintaining systems and software applications within the blockchain network.
Although blockchain technology is in the nascent stage, it has shown immense potential. As blockchain technology is full of promise, its popularity has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, today, blockchain technology has a presence across varying areas, such as financial services, healthcare, gaming, retail, and many more. The immense popularity of blockchain has automatically led to the rising need for blockchain developers by organizations. Currently, organizations are seeking talented blockchain developers to leverage the technology to its full potential.
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Types of Blockchain Developers
You will be surprised to know that different types of blockchain developers exist. Each of them relies on unique skills and capabilities to create value for their organization. Some of the most in-demand blockchain developers that you need to know about are listed below:
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Core Blockchain Developers
Core blockchain developers are the professionals responsible for developing and maintaining blockchain architecture. The work of blockchain developers can directly influence the effectiveness and efficiency of blockchain technology.
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Blockchain Software Developers
The blockchain developers are responsible for creating and building blockchain applications that can be used in the existing blockchain platforms. Additionally, they need to handle the front-end and back-end aspects while developing software solutions.
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Smart Contract Developers
These blockchain developers create smart contracts. These contracts are of high significance as they serve as self-executing contracts within blockchain networks.
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Application Developers
Application Developers build blockchain applications by using blockchain technology. The purpose is to improve the experience of users or enhance the efficiency of the existing systems.
It is essential to bear in mind that blockchain development is a highly collaborative job. Regardless of the existence of diverse blockchain developer job roles, they need to work together to achieve common goals. Each type of blockchain developer may have a distinctive role to play to add value to the blockchain landscape.
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Becoming a blockchain developer
If you are new to the blockchain domain, it is natural to feel overwhelmed. However, by adopting a systematic and disciplined approach, you can become a proficient blockchain developer. Some of the key areas that you need to focus on in order to become a blockchain developer include:
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Understanding the fundamentals of blockchain
Firstly, you must strengthen your foundation in blockchain technology. By having a solid foundation, you can adjust to the blockchain domain despite its evolving nature. A simple trick is to enroll yourself in an entry-level blockchain course. It will serve as a useful platform that can help you develop the necessary skills, prowess, and capabilities.
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Learning how to code
Having proficiency in coding is a necessity if you want to become a blockchain developer. A solid understanding of computer programming, coding, and software development is imperative. The insight in these areas can help you go a long way as a blockchain developer.
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Developing cryptography skills
When it comes to blockchain technology, cryptography is an instrumental component. Cryptography safeguards sensitive information by making sure that the content of any message can be viewed only by the intended individual or recipient. As a role of blockchain developer, you definitely need to broaden your knowledge of cryptography.
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Familiarizing with the blockchain industry
As blockchain technology is highly dynamic, you need to keep a tab on the industry at all times. Although the scope of blockchain development is quite vast, you can focus on specific areas that interest you. You can read articles and blogs or watch videos to grasp valuable information relating to blockchain development.
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Basic roles and responsibilities of blockchain developers
You may be wondering – What is the role of a blockchain developer? The answer to the question is quite simple. Blockchain developers need to take care of certain basic roles and responsibilities in their professional settings. Some of these roles have been listed below:
- Optimization of blockchain applications by using the latest tools as well as technologies
- Cooperating with other professionals like managers to determine the need for blockchain technology and how it can be deployed to solve business issues.
- Remaining up to date with the latest advancements and innovations in the blockchain industry.
- Safeguarding and protecting data relating to digital transactions from malicious actors like cybercriminals or online hackers.
- Utilizing programming language to build application features along with interfaces.
- Sharing diverse uses of blockchain technology with other departments and team members.
- Taking part in the development and deployment of smart contracts.
- Engaging in the designing and implementation of blockchain network architecture.
- Performing thorough testing of blockchain applications to identify any gaps or weaknesses.
- Troubleshooting the issues that have been identified in the blockchain network.
The role of blockchain developers is instrumental in strategically integrating the capabilities of blockchain by a business. Without a proficient and competent blockchain developer, an organization might struggle to take advantage of the potential of the promising new technology. Today, blockchain developers are vital for the success of organizations that function in the digital economy.
Skills needed by a blockchain developer
In order to excel as a blockchain developer, you need to develop certain skills and capabilities. Your skills will ultimately help you to make the most of the technology and thrive as a professional. Irrespective of the blockchain developer job description that you are interested in, you need to cultivate the following skills:
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Blockchain Architecture
A blockchain developer needs to have a solid comprehension of blockchain, how it works, and its overall architecture. Some of the key concepts that you need to learn include consensus, cryptography, and distributed ledger technology. You need to be proficient in these areas so that you can get a solid grasp of blockchain technology and its core capabilities.
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Data Structures
A competent blockchain developer is one who has an in-depth knowledge of data structures. That’s not all! Moreover, the professional must be able to apply the learning and knowledge in a real-life professional setting. You need to familiarize yourself with data structures such as Patrecia trees, Merkle trees, etc. Understanding these areas can surely empower you as a blockchain developer in these competitive times.
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Development of Smart Contracts
While talking about blockchain technology, it is impossible to leave out smart contracts. The development of Ethereum has amplified the popularity of smart contracts in the blockchain realm. These contracts enable two parties to exchange services or commodities without relying on an intermediary. Blockchain developers who intend to not only get into the blockchain domain but also thrive in the area must learn about smart contract development. If you plan to learn about smart contract development, you must learn network-specific languages such as Viper, Solidity, etc.
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Web development
Web development is definitely one of the core areas that a blockchain developer needs to focus upon to move forward in their career. If you are passionate about becoming a blockchain developer, you must focus on web development. It will help you to have a solid foundation relating to front-end as well as back-end development aspects.
The skill will help you develop web applications. You can leverage the insight to build robust apps that involve the use of blockchain technology. You need to learn about web app development, designing, as well as programming. The learning will ultimately help you improve your proficiency and capability while developing dApps.
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Proficiency in blockchain tools and platforms
Within a short span of time, numerous tools and platforms have come into existence in the blockchain domain. It is integral for a blockchain developer to be proficient in these areas. Some of the key platforms that you need to grasp include Hyperledger and Ethereum. The insight into these areas will enable you to select the ideal platform while working on your blockchain project. You will be able to choose the right set of tools and platforms by taking into consideration privacy, scalability, and other requirements.
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Robust knowledge of consensus mechanisms
In blockchain, the consensus algorithms serves as a verification standard that facilitates the approval of every transaction. As a professional blockchain developer role, you must understand how the consensus algorithms operates. The knowledge in this area is useful for diverse reasons, such as building scalability and improving resource efficiency. It can also help to enhance the level of trust and security in the blockchain domain.
If you aspire to become a blockchain developer, you need to focus on your skills and prowess. Your skills will act as the ultimate tool that will help you carry out your duties competently. Moreover, you will be able to handle a broad range of blockchain projects and thus showcase your prowess as a professional.
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Future of blockchain developers
The future of blockchain developers is very bright and prosperous at present. As the application of blockchain technology is continuously expanding, it has led to a rise in the demand for blockchain developers. The best part is there is a broad range of job roles that you can choose from to move forward in your career in blockchain.
The opportunities that are available for blockchain developers can help them reach new heights in their careers. Moreover, lucrative remuneration packages are made available to blockchain developers. You can have a financially safe and secure future by working as a blockchain developer. However, if you wish to have a bright future, you must continuously improve your skills and capabilities.
Your knowledge and skills relating to blockchain technology will help you stand out from potential employers. As the blockchain realm is highly dynamic, you need to remain focused constantly and work on improving yourself. Now is the golden time to take a plunge into the blockchain arena and establish yourself as a blockchain developer. The opportunities that will arise in your path will facilitate your growth as a professional while ensuring your financial stability.
However, it is essential to keep in mind that the blockchain domain is highly competitive. If you want to thrive in a competitive environment, you must surely focus on the skills that you need to develop and the specific roles that you have an interest in. By working on your capabilities and competencies as a blockchain developer, you can establish yourself as a respected blockchain developer.
Conclusion
In the digitalized era, blockchain developers are in high demand. Due to the increase in the potential of blockchain technology, companies are in search of competent blockchain developers. Undoubtedly, today, blockchain developers play an indispensable role in the business environment. Some of the most common types of blockchain developers that have been identified are core blockchain developers, blockchain software developers, smart contract developers, and application developers.
Now is the perfect time to enter the professional realm of blockchain as a blockchain developer. Blockchain developers need to develop certain skills so that they can carry out their roles and responsibilities diligently. The key skills that these professionals need to develop relate to blockchain architecture, data structures, and the development of smart contracts.
Additionally, blockchain developers need to have a solid grip on web development and proficiency in blockchain tools, platforms, and consensus mechanisms. Surely, by focusing on these aspects, a blockchain developer can effectively stand out and move up the professional ladder.
*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!