Blockchain development is considered to be one of the most popular and fastest growing sectors. As a result of this, there have appeared lots of job opportunities for tech enthusiasts as well as developers who are eager to help others embrace the power and convenience of blockchain. So, who are blockchain developers and what particular skills do they have to possess? If these questions puzzle you as well, let’s clarify them together!
To start with, it is worth pointing out that anyone who has something to do with blockchain development — from dApps to arbitrage trading software creation — can be called a blockchain developer. Regardless of blockchain directions, professional and versatile developers, though, should be good at such areas as data structures, computer networking, cryptography along with algorithm creation. Not only that, it is also preferable to have experience with Bitcoin and/or Ethereum and have a deep understanding of smart contracts and web applications. Just as importantly, they should also be capable of developing blockchain protocols and creating special system architectures.
As you might have guessed, blockchain developers are responsible for the whole cycle of blockchain application creation. Generally, there are two types of blockchain developers. They are blockchain software developers and core blockchain developers. Both of the types are engaged in the development process but have slightly different responsibilities.
Blockchain software developers are in charge of creating dApps that are based on blockchain architecture and protocol. They provide both frontend and backend development of dApps.
Core blockchain developers normally take up the architecture development of blockchain systems. They create consensus protocols and resolve other blockchain related issues. Core blockchain developers also account for the blockchain network security.
However, representatives of each type should possess some common basic skills that are needed for excellent performance. They are:
- Good command of basic cryptography
- Broad background knowledge of software development
- Understanding of peer-to-peer networks
- Experience with open source projects
- Great competence in programming languages such as JavaScript, C++, Java, etc.
- Ability to work with large codebases
- Deep knowledge of data structures and algorithms
In addition to the criteria outlined above, it is also important to master some other skills needed to run blockchain projects. They are as follows:
Blockchain architecture
Naturally, there are three types of blockchain architecture: consortium, private, and public. A blockchain developer has to understand how each architecture functions and how it differs from the others. It is preferable to know some other basic concepts such as cryptographic hash functions, DLT, as well as consensus. Blockchain developers at PixelPlex, for example, also have a good understanding of peer-to-peer networks, blockchain mining, blockchain use cases in such spheres as healthcare, cybersecurity, supply chain management, law, etc.
Data structures
Blockchain technology is made up of a bunch of data structures. Even a single block is a kind of data structure. Together with advanced cryptography, data structure is used for creating a secure and reliable system. This implies that blockchain developers should possess a good understanding of this aspect as they will have to deal with it on a regular basis.
Cryptography
As far as cryptography is concerned, it is essential to point out that blockchain takes up quite a lot of cryptographic methods (for example, hash functions like SHA256 and KECCAK256). Hashing itself produces an output of a particular length from an input of any other length. More than that, public-key cryptography establishes the basis for various cryptocurrency transactions.
Smart contract development
Smart contracts have been widely used since the Ethereum blockchain was introduced. These are self-executing contracts that allow two parties to exchange goods or services without turning to third parties for help. Given that smart contracts manage to save both money and resources, they have become quite popular in many industries such as construction, supply chain, law and so on. The number of companies and businesses wishing to give smart contracts a try is growing. This means that blockchain developers will be needed to develop advanced and secure smart contracts.
The developers are supposed to be good at such programming languages as Viper, Chaincode, Solidity, etc. Moreover, bear in mind that before implementing smart contracts, companies and organizations are highly advised to turn to blockchain consultants to get more details about how the ingenious technology functions and discover how exactly smart contracts will benefit their businesses.
Web development
As a matter of fact, all beginners start with the creation of ordinary decentralized applications (they deal with both frontend and backend development) and then move on to more challenging tasks. That is why web development is viewed as the central aspect for blockchain developers, which they need to master. Besides, they should also be skilled at API and request handling, as well as interactive graphical user interface creation for dApps.
As you see, in order to deliver top-notch projects, blockchain developers should possess a lot of essential skills and exercise them all the time. And it is quite logical to assume that blockchain developers will be in demand in future, as blockchain technology itself is going to make its presence felt in almost all spheres of life.
