Talent - Sep 5, 2022

Become a Blockchain Developer: The Right Way

Many industry leaders provide roadmaps on how to learn blockchain development. In that case, why should we care? This plan goes beyond simply outlining the what, why, and how of studying this exciting new technology. In addition to preparing you for the next step in the process, this article gives you a leg up once you've arrived at the finish line. This article is based on the experience I (an aerospace engineer) gained as a freelance developer over a year. This article further discusses the areas in which one should concentrate in order to be hired for a full-time position or to succeed as a freelancer.

Anticipated Results

Beginners

If you are just starting out as a developer, this roadmap will show you the steps to take to become a seasoned expert with enough experience to land a good job or launch your own successful venture.

Intermediate

This roadmap is unique in its emphasis on both novice programmers and web2 developers interested in making the jump to web3 work. If you are a web2 developer who is struggling to find work, you may want to choose this route to hone your craft.

Web2 expert

If you are an experienced web2 developer, you can move on to point 4. If you already grasp the fundamentals of blockchain technology, you can move on to point 6. You'll learn a lot and have enough finished work to showcase in your portfolio. This will greatly ease your transition.

Specialist in Web3

Feel free to skip ahead to point 6 and look over the resources. This may assist you in locating resources that you have not previously encountered.

How should one go about mastering this intriguing technology? In the competitive blockchain development market, how can you make yourself stand out as a leader and a sought-after developer? A guide to becoming a successful blockchain developer has been developed by Freeflow, a marketplace designed for web3 developers and clients.

Before diving into the roadmap, we want to give you some helpful advice for developing your blockchain skills.

"Don't Google, Twitter is the new Google for blockchain technology."

On September 15, 2021, I embarked on this adventure. I spent a whole month searching the internet for materials before I found anything worthwhile. But after a day of strategic Twitter use, I had access to a variety of blockchain development courses.

"Skip Facebook and Instagram; your buddies are on Discord."

It should be noted that this is not a "get rich quick" or "become a blockchain developer quickly" type of thing. A quality developer is the centerpiece of this road map. Learning to code is a lengthy process. It requires hard work, reliability, and regular practice. Check this article, “Teach Yourself programming in 10 years”. Please bear in mind that while it won't take 10 years to become a blockchain developer, you also won't become one in a week.

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO YOU.

So, without further ado, let's get down to the roadmap.

1. Find out what makes Web3 different from Web2 and Web1

Why?

The basics must be mastered.

How?

a. GeeksforGeeks Draws Parallels Between Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0. Excellent information for anyone seeking clarity.

b. Learn with Whiteboard presents: What is Web 3.0 Explained | Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0 vs. Web 3.0 Crypto.

2. Master the fundamentals of computer science

Why?

Entering blockchain technology as a developer without proper programming knowledge will quickly end your career. Mastering the fundamentals is crucial for rapid development.

How?

We recommend that you complete the Harvard University CS50x course, which is a world-renowned course led by Prof. David J Malan.

Helpful Tips

Make an effort to construct a portfolio alongside your coursework. If you're having a hard time getting a handle on things, it might help to do some research on market leaders' products and get familiar with the concepts behind them.

3. Hone your knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JS

Why HTML, CSS, and JS for blockchain technology?

We're encouraging this for two reasons:

a. Learn the ins and outs of website development, design, and operation. In addition, this will provide a foundation for studying Dapp development.

b. You can get started on web2 projects and create an engaging online portfolio right away.

"It's crucial to establish a network, and this is the first step in doing so."

How?

a. Learn HTML Completely from Scratch with Dave Gray's Free Video Course on YouTube.

b. Complete CSS Training for Newbies, a Video Course by Dave Gray.

c. The tutorial by Dave Gray on Youtube covers all the basics of JavaScript.

d. Freecodecamp's JavaScript Programming Course—Created by Scrimba's Creator, This Course Features 100 Unique Coding Exercises.

e. You may learn the basics of JavaScript with no additional libraries by using Javascript30. Your existing level of JavaScript expertise will be elevated.

What's the deal with all these Dave Gray courses? His lessons are comprehensive yet simple enough for anyone to grasp. You can learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript from just about any course you like.

Helpful Tips

a. To showcase your work, consider creating a portfolio website.

b. If you're at a loss for what to build, check out Behance and other developers' portfolios.

c. Populate the website with the products you develop. This is one of the best investments you can make while learning.

d. Get familiar with Git and keep populating it. This will come in handy when you begin looking for work.

Phew! You've picked up some valuable knowledge.

Make sure you're well-rested and hydrated before getting back to coding. 💦

Developers, the time has come to join the blockchain road map.

4. Blockchain Technology

Why?

Since your future involves creating software using this technology, you should be familiar with its inner workings. Actually, that's true, right?

How?

a. Blockchain Facts: What is it, How it works and How it can be used - Investopedia has a comprehensive article to get you started.

b. Learn more about blockchain technology by reading this article from IBM.

The preceding pieces should have given you a sense of the variety of blockchain networks out there. They are

a. Public blockchain networks

b. Private blockchain networks

c. Permissioned blockchain networks

d. Consortium blockchain networks

We will only concentrate on public blockchain networks. Other networks are outside the scope of this article. We recommend that you learn the terminology used in blockchain technology before deciding on which public blockchain to work on.

5. Blockchain-Related Jargon

Why?

When tutors discuss these terms in future tutorials, they will be easier to understand.

How?

a. Cryptocurrency Terms to Know Before You Invest: A Beginner’s Guide - A nice article to start with from NextAdvisor.

b. Important Blockchain terminologies - A Comprehensive Reference for Developers by GeekforGeeks.

c. Consensys's comprehensive A Blockchain Glossary for Dummies provides an introduction to the jargon used in the space.

Helpful Tips

After you've gotten a handle on the terminology, you can venture out into the world of actual technologies. Do not get into the details right now.

For instance, after reading up on NFTs, you can use Opensea to locate the best NFTs to invest in. Determine the problems they are attempting to solve and the reasons for their success. This will spark some ideas for you to develop, and you can begin developing things while learning.

6. Choose a Blockchain

Choose any one blockchain from the ‘n’ number of Blockchains available (Image from Francesco Ciullas’s article on How to learn Web3).

This article will focus on two distinct paths

a. Solidity is the language used to create smart contracts on chains that are compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine.

b. Rust — The Language of Choice for the Solana Blockchain's Programming (Not restricted to Solana only).

If you choose Solana Blockchain, feel free to skip Steps 7 and 8.

Solidity Path

7. Learn the React framework

Why?

The majority of EVM-based dapps use the React framework. This will simplify the process of enlisting community support. Other benefits of React will become apparent as you use it.

How?

a. The course on Freecodecamp is taught by Bob Ziroll, Head of Education at Scrimba, and is titled "React Course: Beginner's Tutorial for the React JavaScript Library [2022]."

b. React JS Full Course for Beginners - Another Video Tutorial by Dave Gray.

c. Deep Dive Into Modern Web Development - Your one-stop shop to learn React, Redux, Node.js, MongoDB, GraphQL, and TypeScript in one go.

Helpful Tips

a. Create an interactive website.

b. Work on APIs, redux, and hooks.

c. Experience the benefits of React over traditional website building methods like HTML, CSS, and JS.

d. Learn libraries like web3 js and ether js.

8. Mastering Solidity

Why?

Solidity acts as a core programming language to write smart contracts for EVM-compatible chains.

How?

a. Learn Blockchain, Solidity, and Full Stack Web3 Development with JavaScript - Course by Patrick Collins from Freecodecamp. This is undoubtedly one of the most impressive training programs of its kind. The course begins with a review of fundamentals (which, at this point, should feel like a refresher) before moving on to more advanced topics and the use of numerous frameworks (including Hardhat, Truffle, etc.). The Ultimate Solidity Course is all you need to get started.

b. Solidity, Blockchain, and Smart Contract Course - Course by Patrick Collins from Freecodecamp. The BMW G310GS, a scaled-down counterpart of the 1250GS, has already been seen (a renowned adventure tourer bike). In a similar vein, this course is a truncated version of the original, but it still covers all the basics. This course is recommended for people who are more comfortable with Python than JavaScript.

c. Courses from LearnWeb3Dao - There are different tracks in their course. You can master concepts like NFTs, ICOs, DAOs, etc. by building each of them on your own. Not only will you gain a better grasp of the material, but the principles themselves will serve as a useful reminder. Francesco Ciulla is working on a video version of it. Check out his YouTube channel. The link is provided in the additional resources section.

d. Cryptozombies - This project is well-known in the industry. It's self-evident. Who despises games? You can create one that is stored on the blockchain. Isn't it amazing? Create a crypto-collectible game with cryptozombies.

Helpful Tips

a. Buidl projects while learning.

b. Get your PoK (Proof of Knowledge) NFTs.

c. Build a better portfolio.

d. Raise the quality of your GitHub profile.

e. Make your creations visible to the public and watch your viewership soar.

f. Attempt to secure an internship with companies such as Nethermind.

g. Build your portfolio by focusing on equity-based enterprises. Who knows? That project might make you a millionaire.

h. Get involved in hackathons.

i. Participate in bug bounties.

j. Come up with new things. Do not put artificial constraints on your abilities.

Rust Path

Note: Unlike Solidity, we were unable to find a course that could teach you Solana programming from A to Z. However, we did our best to compile a list of available resources to assist you in getting started.

9. Learn Rust

Why?

Rust is the primary language used to make programs compatible with Solana Blockchain. Even though the command line interface (CLI) may be used to create simple Solana blockchain programs, more complicated programs require Rust.

How?

a. Tensor Programming's Intro to Rust on YouTube covers the fundamentals as well as some projects.

b. Rust Programming Tutorials - These are short (2 to 3 minute) video tutorials by dcode on Youtube.

Our Tips

a. Learn all you can about Rust.

b. Give it a shot to create some applications.

c. Try new things. Challenge Yourself.

d. Participate in community activities.

10. Learn Angular

Why?

Solana Dapp's front end is easily built using Angular. Most of the Solana tutorials we recommend will use a combination of Rust and Angular.

How?

Angular for Beginners - Course on Freecodecamp by Santosh Yadav, an active contributor to Angular.

Our Tips

a. Create a website that users can engage with.

b. Try developing some apps using REST APIs and Redux.

c. Experience the benefits of Angular over traditional website building methods like HTML, CSS, and JS.

11. Solana Development

Why?

The solution is straightforward; that is precisely what we want to do.

How?

a. Solana Docs - The best place to start learning Solana development.

b. Chainlink's Solana developer Bootcamp is a great place to learn the basics of Solana.

c. Figment Learn | Solana - One of the few websites where you can learn the basics of Solana and develop some projects.

d. Start building on Solana - Buidl projects using Solana CLI and Rust-based smart contracts.

Our Tips

a. Buidl projects while learning.

b. Improve your portfolio.

c. Raise the quality of your GitHub profile.

d. Make your creations visible to the public and watch your viewership soar.

e. Do what you can to intern with a company or learn from seasoned Solana programmers.

f. Build your portfolio by focusing on equity-based enterprises. Who knows? That project might make you a millionaire.

g. Get involved in hackathons.

h. Participate in bug bounties.

i. Come up with new things. Do not put artificial constraints on your abilities.

🪅 Woohoo! You've finally mastered Blockchain Technology the right way.

Resource Hub

Additional Readings and Resources

People to Follow

Youtube Channels to Follow

Internet Made Coder - Discusses his personal experience. This channel has some valuable videos for beginners.
Smart contract Programmer - An interesting channel to learn about Solidity, Defi, and other topics.
Patrick Collins - Not someone who needs an introductory paragraph or a synopsis.
Francesco Ciulla - LearnWeb3 in video format.
Chainlink - They have excellent workshops where you may gain advanced skills.
Dapp University - Great place to learn Solidity and stay abreast of the latest crypto news from a developer's perspective.

Project Ideas from Freeflow

Build an upgradable NFT.
Build a marketplace.
Build a DAO.
Build a Defi platform.
Build a P2E game.
Build a decentralized e-commerce site.
Build a Metaverse.

Now What?

It took me about a year to compile all the information you have in this single article. In addition, if you've been following this route, you should already have a solid portfolio and plenty of project ideas.

Apply to Freeflow as a freelance web3 developer if you have four or more mainnet projects.

Use decentralized job boards to look for full-time employment opportunities.

If you've been building your project in public and have a sizable following, you probably have a wide selection of bids from which to choose.

Create something unique that addresses an issue.

I wish you the very best. Don't stop growing as learners, explorers, and buidlers.

Citations:

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