Blockchain Developer Roadmap

A roadmap for a blockchain developer includes learning computer science and blockchain technology fundamentals, obtaining experience through projects and hands-on work, and continuing education to stay current with industry trends.

Blockchain systems can come in various shapes, including decentralized digital currencies, smart contracts, and supply chain management platforms. The infrastructure and underlying technology that enable these decentralized systems to run and secure themselves are being developed by blockchain developers. Building a blockchain platform is a great effort that needs a lot of resources and knowledge.

A blockchain developer is knowledgeable about the blockchain’s architecture and protocols and how to create and optimize smart contracts and decentralized applications, or dApps. The specializations of the developers are determined by their abilities, passions, and the nature of their jobs. 

For example, consider a seasoned blockchain developer with a robust background in computer science and a substantial amount of experience in the technology industry. The developer is highly skilled in creating and implementing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain and strongly interested in decentralized systems. Their specialization in Ethereum blockchain development distinguishes them from other blockchain developers, making them a valuable resource for organizations seeking to build decentralized applications on the Ethereum network.

What Does a Blockchain Developer Do?

Using blockchain technology, a blockchain developer is in charge of creating and managing decentralized networks. A blockchain developer’s specific duties could include the following:

• Coding in programming languages like Python, JavaScript, C++, or Solidity
• Creating and executing the blockchain platform’s overall architecture
• Platform security and the consensus method
• Blockchain technology integration with other systems and technologies
• Developing and keeping smart contracts
• Collaborating with stakeholders, other developers, and designers to release new features and products
• Keeping abreast of the most recent advancements in blockchain technology and seizing opportunities to innovate

Types of Blockchain Developers

Blockchain developers come in various forms, each with a specific area of expertise. Different organizations may classify developers under separate headings, even though they are all of the same types. There are various types of blockchain developers, for example:

Core Blockchain Developers: These programmers are in charge of building and maintaining the infrastructure that supports blockchain technology. They work on the network protocol, consensus mechanism, and other essential blockchain platform elements.

Core blockchain developers are proficient in writing low-level code and are acquainted with network architecture, cryptography, and consensus mechanisms. However, they could lack knowledge in front-end design and web development tools and experience in creating user-facing applications.

Smart Contracts Developers: Smart contracts developers are in charge of creating and deploying smart contracts on the blockchain. Smart contracts are agreements that automatically carry out their conditions and are written in code.

Smart contract developers are highly skilled in Solidity, Viper, and other smart contract programming languages, enabling them to produce efficient and secure code. On the downside, they can lack competence in web development technologies and UI/UX design, as well as insufficient knowledge of consensus techniques and blockchain network architecture.

Decentralized applications (dApps) Developers: Decentralized application developers are in charge of building dApps that operate on top of the blockchain. They could be used for various projects, including online gaming, prediction markets, and digital wallets.

They are proficient in UI/UX design and web development technologies. They are an invaluable addition to any blockchain project due to their expertise in deploying smart contracts and integrating them into web apps. However, they might be unfamiliar with blockchain technology and smart contract programming and might not be security and performance optimization experts.

Blockchain architects: They are the programmers in charge of creating the general framework for the blockchain platform. They seek to build a safe, scalable infrastructure to manage many transactions.

Blockchain architects are consensus methods, network architecture, and blockchain technology experts. They are capable of building and architect scalable and secure blockchain systems, as well as their familiarity with market trends and expertise in selecting the best technology for a project. However, they can lack practical coding experience, an in-depth understanding of programming languages for smart contracts, and little expertise in UI/UX design and web development tools.

Reasons to Become A Blockchain Developer

For people who appreciate working with cutting-edge technology, blockchain development is a fast-paced, constantly-evolving sector that can be both tough and lucrative. Blockchain technology could significantly affect the world, which can upend various businesses.

Another factor could be the high demand for blockchain developers, which is expected to increase in the future. The increasing demand for blockchain developers‘ talents is also reflected in their high compensation. Additionally, blockchain technology offers a space for creativity and invention, enabling developers to build novel applications.

Given that the technology is still developing and growing, there is a significant opportunity for growth for blockchain developers. This multidisciplinary topic includes computer science, cryptography, economics, and law, which is exciting and diverse.

In the blockchain sector, remote work is becoming more and more common, giving developers the freedom to work from any location. The ability to design decentralized solutions that provide transparency, security, and privacy in digital transactions enables blockchain developers to impact society positively. These considerations highlight the opportunity for a rewarding and successful career as a blockchain developer.

Technical Skills Required For Blockchain Developers

Blockchain developers frequently need to have a solid grasp of specific technological abilities. Among these abilities are:

Programming languages: The first prerequisite of a blockchain developer job description is having a solid grasp of the programming basics because the majority of blockchain development involves more than just a working knowledge of the most common programming languages. Most blockchain developers are skilled in languages like Go, JavaScript, Java, C++, or Solidity (in addition to many more).

Distributed systems: As blockchain depends on a network of computers to validate and record transactions on the blockchain, blockchain technology is built on distributed systems. Blockchain developers must have a good understanding of distributed systems to fully take advantage of the capabilities of distributed systems, including concepts like consensus algorithms and distributed ledger technology.

Data Structures: Your ability to understand problems at a high level and to give an optimum solution while keeping in mind the limits is strengthened by having a thorough understanding of data structures and an application sense of them. Blockchain creates a safe and immutable system by combining various data formats with cutting-edge cryptography. Blockchain engineers need to work with a range of data structures, including arrays, trees, linked lists, graphs, hash trees, heaps, stacks, Patricia, Merkle trees, etc., to construct and implement networks properly.

Cryptography: Blockchain technology’s security and integrity depend heavily on cryptography. Cryptography is a field in which blockchain developers should be proficient, including concepts like public-key encryption, encryption, hashing, digital signatures, etc.

Smart contracts: Smart contracts are agreements written in code that automatically carry out their agreements. They are software programs that operate on a blockchain network and can autonomously enact the agreement’s terms and sanctions without the involvement of intermediaries. Smart contracts should be familiar to blockchain developers.

Databases: Databases are used in a blockchain environment, such as with distributed ledger databases; hence blockchain developers should be well-versed in these concepts.

Networking: Blockchain developers need to have a solid grasp of networking principles, including protecting communication channels and managing data flow in a decentralized setting.

Security standards: A key component of blockchain development is security. To guarantee that the systems they create are secure, it is crucial for blockchain developers to be aware of a variety of security standards and best practices. OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project), NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, etc., are some major security standards for blockchain development. The security mechanisms of the particular blockchain platform they are working with, such as Ethereum or Bitcoin, should also be known to blockchain developers. They should incorporate any security-related features that the platform offers.

Blockchain platforms: Blockchain developers should understand blockchain platforms like Ethereum, Bitcoin, Hyperledger, EOS, Solana, etc.

Development tools and cloud computing platforms: Blockchain developers must be familiar with development tools such as Git, Jira, Trello, Agile, Scrum, etc. and cloud computing platforms like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.

Is it Necessary to Have an Academic Degree to Start a Career as a Blockchain Developer?

You’ll hear from various sources that you don’t need an academic degree to begin a career as a blockchain developer. It is advised to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or any other related field because having a degree in an area linked to computer science is often the minimum requirement in the blockchain sector. Your career will benefit if you have more advanced knowledge and a degree. If you don’t have a degree, it will not be easy to demonstrate similar skills.

However, practical experience, self-learning through online resources, relevant certifications, networking with industry leaders, and on-the-job training can help to begin a career as a blockchain developer.

Final Thoughts

Several companies are developing blockchain technology, and many tech companies are transitioning to Web3. In the near future, we expect a large need for blockchain developers.

Online boot camps or enrolling in online courses can be the first step in your journey to becoming a blockchain developer. However, they could take longer to finish. You will succeed as a blockchain developer if you are passionate about the technology and prepared to put in the effort to increase your knowledge and skill set. 

Some other essential qualities for blockchain developers are as follows:

• Creativity
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, 
• Work under time constraints, and 
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills

Before applying for job positions, you should establish your portfolio and build experience.

To level up and gain a deeper knowledge of all things related to the future of the cryptocurrency industry, check out the latest content in the Supra Academy section.

References

1. Bachini, J. (2021, 22 Dec.). Blockchain developer roadmap 2022 | A guide to learning blockchain development. James Bachini.
2. Scott-Brigs, A. (2022, 14 Nov.). Blockchain development roadmap: A friendly-guide for beginners. TechBullion.
3. Walas, D. (2022, 21 Nov.). Introducing the DeFi developer roadmap. 10Clouds.