What is a Blockchain Developer and What Does One Do?

What Is Blockchain Development?

Blockchain is a unique type of database that stores information in "blocks" of data chained together in chronological order. Any new data gets written into a block, and when it is filled up, it gets timestamped and attached to the latest block in the chain, hence the clever name "blockchain."

So, the process of blockchain development is the process of creating blockchains.

What Is a Blockchain Developer?

Blockchain developers are professionals who develop applications for blockchain protocol architecture. Their daily tasks include developing and optimizing algorithms that run on the Blockchain Protocol. This protocol is piggybacked onto the standard Internet Protocol (IP), functioning as an Internet for blockchain-powered devices. This blockchain Internet is referred to as Web3.

What Does a Blockchain Developer Do?

Blockchain developers have a wide range of responsibilities and roles. For instance, blockchain developers write smart contracts, programs developed especially for the blockchain and run on blockchain nodes.

Blockchain developers create applications that conform to the Web3 decentralized protocols mentioned above. However, there are two significant branches of blockchain development.

• Core blockchain development: This process involves interacting with blockchain at the root level. Core blockchain developers are responsible for designing and developing blockchain architecture, including choosing system protocols, consensus mechanisms, and other variables.
• Blockchain software development: This role involves incorporating algorithms developed by other blockchain developers into the actual blockchain applications.

Blockchain Developer Job Description

So, let’s take the information we just discussed and see if we can put it into a convenient job description reference format.

In general terms, organizations looking for blockchain developers want professionals who can design, implement, and distribute applications that conform to the blockchain protocols and are secure. In addition, these companies expect their blockchain developers to analyze the organization's needs and accordingly leverage and customize existing blockchain technologies to deliver significantly optimized blockchain solutions.

But when discussing job description specifics, we need to differentiate between three different experience levels.

• Junior Blockchain Developer

• Document all development processes
• Maintain both client-side and server-side applications
• Implement application tests and continuous integration

• Intermediate Blockchain Developer

• Collaborate with the teams to help develop and deliver blockchain solutions
• Optimize blockchain solutions and secure them using various cryptographic techniques
• Write test-driven application source codes and implement interfaces and features using available developer tools and programming languages.

• Senior Blockchain Developer

• Collaborate with management and stakeholders to ascertain and outline blockchain-related needs
• Deliver highly optimized blockchain applications and solutions using either established technologies or creating innovations
• Lead the teams that design, research, and develop blockchain application technologies

What’s the Demand for Blockchain Developers?

An article from late 2021 says employment powerhouse LinkedIn reported that blockchain job listings have surged a staggering 615 percent since August 2020. There are other similar rosy predictions for blockchain developer demand presented by other sites as well.

Based upon evidence like this, it’s safe to say that there will be an ongoing demand for blockchain developers, possibly even a sustained increase, for the foreseeable future.

How Do You Become a Blockchain Developer?

So perhaps after reading these encouraging statistics, you decide that you want to become a blockchain developer. Great choice! Now, how can you go about becoming a blockchain developer?

For starters, check out this tutorial, which describes how you can fulfill your blockchain developer dreams.

Next, follow the blockchain developer roadmap we present below. Remember that the more blockchain-related education and skills you can gather, the easier the journey will be.

The Blockchain Developer Roadmap

Roadmaps help you get to your destination quicker and help you avoid wrong turns and pitfalls. This blockchain developer roadmap enables you to take the right path to become a blockchain developer without making costly mistakes or false starts.

• Learn the basics of programming: Blockchain development is under the computer science umbrella, so you must learn programming basics. First, learn a programming language like C++, Java, or Python, and follow it up by learning all about data structures and algorithms.
• Familiarize yourself with blockchain architecture and cryptography: These two concepts are the blockchain’s bedrock.
• Try out a few blockchain functions: Now you must learn how to use the programming languages and tools associated with blockchain app development. This step is where you get hands-on practical experience as a developer, creating consensus algorithms and smart contracts.
• Master decentralized applications: Decentralization is one of the most valuable features of both blockchain and cryptocurrency. This concept removes control and decision-making from a centralized asset (a group, business, organization, or even individual) and gives it to a distributed network. Consequently, it would be best if you nailed down this aspect of blockchain programming, choosing either mobile app development or web development.
• Get certified: Certification helps you enhance your blockchain developer skillset and makes you a more desirable choice for a company. Consider taking one or more online courses or attending continuing education classes to gain certification in related fields.

Once you have met these criteria, you’re ready to call yourself a blockchain developer. Congratulations!

What is a Blockchain Developer: Blockchain Developer Skills

Here’s a list of the skills you need to become a successful blockchain developer. Naturally, potential employers are looking for skill sets like this one and will prefer candidates who have it in their toolbox.

• Cryptography, especially hashing algorithms, wallets, keys, and digital signatures
• Designing, developing, testing, and deploying smart contracts
• How the business and financial world operate since much of blockchain lies in that domain
• Programming languages such as C, C++, Solidity, Rust, Go, JavaScript
• Web development skills like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, web frameworks, and libraries (e.g., React, Angular, Vue, or Wen3js)
• IDEs like Eclipse, Remix, and Visual Studio
• Source code tracking such as git or GitHub/GitLab
• Data structures, including hash trees, heaps, graphs, stacks, and Patricia and Merkle trees
• Testing tools, including Ganache, Metamask, and Truffle

What Does a Blockchain Developer Salary Look Like?

Glassdoor reports that blockchain developers in the United States earn an average of $110,053 per year, with salaries hitting as high as $274,000 per year. Blockchain developers in India can make a yearly average of ₹697,771, with a high of ₹1,500,000.

What Is a Blockchain Developer: Blockchain Developer Tips

Here are a few quick tips that best sum up how to start your journey to become a blockchain developer. Some of these tips repeat concepts we've already touched on but are summarized here in a tip format:

• Learn how blockchains operate. Get a solid grip on blockchain’s fundamental processes
• Learn all you can about smart contracts, resources, and solidity
• Learn how to use tools that create, organize, and manage blockchains
• Familiarize yourself with Ethereum and dApps
• Acquire a good understanding of front-end and back-end development resources
• Avail yourself of online resources such as video tutorials or take certification classes.
• Explore the world of cryptocurrency (no, you don't have actually to buy any!) and see how it works. Since cryptocurrency can't exist without blockchain, you will get valuable insights into the technology by seeing it in action.

What Is a Blockchain Developer: FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions relating to blockchain developers.

1. Is blockchain development really that good a career?

If you’re asking if blockchain development has an ongoing relevance, the answer is “yes.” Blockchains are transforming the worlds of business and finance, and job demand is skyrocketing.

2. Is it hard to learn blockchain?

It’s certainly different and consequently has a steeper learning curve than, for instance, traditional web or app development. Blockchain is new; therefore, people aren't familiar with it. However, you're in the clear once you beat that learning curve. Besides, if few people are doing it, that only makes your skills more in demand and potentially can lead to better positions and compensation!

3. How do I make money as a blockchain developer?

You can do freelance work, get hired by a company and make a consistent salary, or become a consultant.

4. Is blockchain open source?

Mostly, yes. Blockchain is a database, which isn’t typically something you can monetize. Additionally, most blockchain dapps are open source. However, some enterprise-level versions of blockchain dapps and other resources will have a price tag.

5. One of blockchain’s biggest draws is its supposed security. Is it really that secure?

While there's no such thing as a perfect system, blockchain is highly secure and thus will be in demand because of three primary reasons:

• Blockchain is decentralized, so its database doesn’t have a single entry point
• All blockchain transactions are transparent and traceable back to the users
• Blockchain information can’t be changed once its recorded; user credentials are canceled if any data is altered

With over 5000+ jobs in the US, Blockchain is the most trending skill now. Get help from experienced faculty of IIT Kanpur in our Professional Certificate Program in Blockchain and accelerate your career in just 4 months. Get in touch with your admission counselor today!

How Would You Like to Get Into Blockchain Development?

If you’ve decided that you want to learn more about blockchain and how to make your mark in this rising new technology, Simplilearn has what you need to get started. The Caltech Blockchain Bootcamp is the perfect blockchain developer course choice to master the concepts of Bitcoin, Hyperledger, Ethereum, Ripple, and Multichain blockchain platforms.

The course, held in conjunction with Caltech, teaches you how to set up private blockchain networks using Hyperledger Composer and how to deploy smart contracts on Ethereum. The course develops your knowledge in blockchain and expands it further. You will gain expertise in building solutions using the best tools in the industry, plus learning how to build, create, and administer smart contracts, Bitcoin wallets, transactions, Fabricode, and Chain SDKs.

Simplilearn also has other blockchain-related courses and bootcamps that can augment your newly acquired knowledge and a host of informative articles. So, visit Simplilearn today and give your blockchain career a much-needed boost!