What do blockchain developers actually do and how do they do it?

May 27, 2021

Blockchain development is one of the fastest-developing sectors in recent times. Companies are seeking out blockchain builders to make new implementations, boost their modern systems, and get beforehand withinside the industry. Blockchain development has become one of the hottest sectors in the IT industry, as more and more companies have realized that blockchain-based solutions could provide major improvements to their existing systems. Blockchain technology offers a lot of opportunities for innovation, and companies want to be able to use this technology to get ahead of their competition.

If you’ve been researching blockchain development, you would have noticed that there is a shortage of skilled blockchain developers. This isn’t a surprise, because blockchain technology is one of the most revolutionary technologies in recent times. Throughout the years, there have been many skilled developers that have contributed to the industry in some capacity.

 

What is a blockchain?

Wondering if technology could solve the problems we have with identity theft? That’s the premise behind blockchain technology. Even though it’s still in its early stages (as most new technology tends to be), blockchain has the potential to revolutionize the future of how private information is accessed and stored online. But just what is this advent technology? Do you know exactly what blockchain technology does? Do you understand what it will eventually be capable of? Well, if not, then read on to learn all about blockchain technology and what its implications may be for your personal life and business endeavors.

Blockchain technology was created to run alongside cryptocurrency like bitcoin. But with all the buzz around this revolutionary technology in recent years, many companies have been exploring whether it can be used beyond just cryptocurrencies.

A blockchain is a ledger that is distributed to everyone on a network. In the cryptocurrency world, for example, it would record all transactions that have ever taken place between users. Each time a new transaction happens, a new “block” in the blockchain gets created. Every single computer on the network would then be able to see this new block of information.

 

A brief about blockchain developers

Blockchain developers are a special breed. That is, they aren’t supposed to work in isolation. They need to collaborate with other blockchain specialists from time to time on some of the core aspects of the technology. And that’s only if you’re working in a small startup. Imagine what happens if you go big and want to outsource some tasks? It rarely helps unless they all know how to get a job done fast and efficiently. Yeah, it sounds obvious enough. But they have to keep their skills up-to-date so that no one misses out on crucial deadlines or points of failure.

Blockchain developers have the most complex and versatile jobs in the industry. They need to know about different blockchain protocols, languages, dApps, and more. If you think you’ve got what it takes to become a developer, then read on!

Because blockchain technology keeps evolving at such an incredible pace, all the players must understand what’s happening with the crypto community. The blockchain devs on Vardhaman Infotech are aware of the challenges their employers might face. Therefore, they ensure that they’re available to offer support during the entire development phase.

 

Types of blockchain developers

  1. Blockchain software developers
  2. Core blockchain developers

These two types of developers are an essential part of the blockchain community, with extremely different responsibilities. Below are their works mentioned. 

 

Blockchain Software Developers 

The blockchain network consists of a peer-to-peer network of computers that has a shared, distributed ledger recording and validating transactions. Each computer maintains its blockchain copy to make it redundant. Consensus can be achieved when the majority of computers accept a change to the blockchain. This ensures that the information is correct, authentic, and backed up by every computer running the blockchain software.

The blockchain freelancer usually needs to be an expert in c++ or python. In addition to being a blockchain software developer, it is also good to understand the fundamentals of cryptography. The cryptographer will have more knowledge about the security aspects. He/She will deal with the encryption process and build a secure application. They will help with whitepapers too.

Our blockchain coders will help you build a decentralized application from scratch. If you are planning an ICO launch or looking to create your cryptocurrency, we can help you with that. Cryptographers will guarantee the security of your smart contracts and all your data related to user information.

 

Core blockchain developers

A core blockchain developer focuses on the architecture development of a blockchain system. They design their consensus protocol and make most of the vital decisions related to blockchain technology. They supervise the network and design the architecture of the same. Core blockchain developers are responsible for the security of their blockchain network as well.

As the technology behind Bitcoin is the backbone for any types of cryptocurrencies that exist in the market today, core blockchain developers are tasked with making sure that it’s performing optimally. They ensure that there is no cheating, data manipulation or hacking from anywhere possible. If any blockchain project has to gain popularity they need to make sure that it’s secure and robust.

Since the core blockchain developers are at the top of the pyramid of development when it comes to digital currencies, they are the ones that are in charge of programming and refining the blockchain to guarantee transactions that rely on multiple wallets, smart contracts, and transactions with other users.

In a nutshell, core blockchain developers are full-stack developers who have invested the time and effort to fully master blockchain technology. As they know how the system operates, they can provide lasting solutions.

 

Skills to become a blockchain expert

  • Cryptography – Cryptography is the study of protocols that prevent unwanted parties from accessing your data. There are many essential concepts in cryptography you should be familiar with as you’ll need them during blockchain development. Knowledge of encryption schemes will also be needed for setting up portfolio security or maintaining excellent web privacy. Plus, it’s just a cool topic to delve into! 

Cryptography is a vast, complex, and ever-evolving area of study. We have always found that, when learning about cryptography, it can be quite daunting. It might take years to understand all the different ways there are to encrypt data and the various types of blockchains.

  • Smart contracts – One of the most interesting applications of blockchain technology is Smart Contracts. A smart contract is a mechanism involving the exchange of money, content, or other valuable items based on certain conditions being met to avoid going to court. For example, let’s say you rent a car from me and I sold it to you with the condition that you need to return the vehicle at least one hour before your flight leaves. This is an example of a simple smart contract.

Somewhat like vending machines, smart contracts have inputs and outputs. Inputs contain information about the procedure, i.e. how much should you pay to get the product. Outputs are the changes in the state of the world that result from executing the procedure, which could be to transfer a token to change ownership or produce a service contract. The vending machine analogy is not entirely correct though, because smart contracts can be used for much more than just currencies.

A smart contract is a piece of code that executes pre-programmed conditions when specific actions are initiated. It is essentially an IF-THEN statement. You program it to do something once an action takes place. The best part about smart contracts is that, because they exist on the blockchain, hundreds of users can read and review them.

As with any kind of contract, clearly stated terms are key. It is blockchain technology that makes smart contracts possible. The fundamental part of this technology is the blow-up of blockchain. 

  • Data structures – Within data structures, there are several types of blockchains. Only those which are decentralized fall under the blockchain umbrella. Distributed, parallel and sequential databases are not. The data structure is the way the memory is managed for a program, and it’s closely associated with the core programming of a language.

Even a blockchain block is a type of data structure because it is a container that clusters transactions for the public ledger. A block is characterized as a container data structure because it “contains” or clusters transactions for the public ledger. A container data structure implements polymorphism, or the ability to store different types of objects in one variable or structure. The public ledger is the blockchain, so the public ledger also has its own data structures because it too is a kind of collection data structure. 

  • Blockchain architecture – There are relatively three types of blockchain architectures.

4.1. Consortium architecture –  The consortium architecture is an interesting one because it provides the benefits of decentralization while also mitigating shortfalls. In this form of blockchain implementation, you have multiple parties that have control over various aspects. This can be helpful when you want to get multiple parties (think corporate partners at an energy company or university researchers) involved with a blockchain solution. You don’t want a single entity holding the keys to everyone else’s house — and the consortium architecture prevents that from happening.

4.2. Private architecture – While almost all cryptocurrencies are based on blockchain technology, they also have a few key differences. Some are public and can be used by anyone who wants to be part of the system. The most prominent example is Bitcoin. Others are private, which means only those included in the network can take part in the process. A good example is Hyperledger Sawtooth.

4.3. Public architecture – A network where anyone can become a part of it and make a transaction is known as a public network or a public blockchain architecture. There are three major types of blockchain architecture – private, consortium, and public. These architectures differ in the number of users and permissions within the network. In this article, we will discuss the most popular type of blockchain architecture – public networks.

  • Web development – If you want to break into the industry, it pays to develop a well-rounded skill set in design, development, and programming. If you want to break into blockchain (as of late 2018, Blockchain is the next big thing), then it pays to have a strong background in web development. Thought leaders are driving the hype train.  Education experts predict that most careers in the future are going to revolve around the blockchain ecosystem. And blockchains will most likely continue to create an impact in 2019 and beyond.

 

Languages developers must know 

Without knowing the perfect coding, it might get very difficult to develop a blockchain. There are three common languages used. 

  • C++ 
  • Java
  • Python

C++ 

C++ is one of the most popular programming languages used by blockchain developers. It’s been around since 1979–the early ‘80s when it was first released to the public. It was created as a “re-implementation” of the C language, and it has since grown in popularity and evolved into something else entirely.

Although there are a lot of languages you can use to build decentralized apps on the blockchain, C++ stands out among them. This language was used in one of the most famous blockchains of all time – bitcoin core. If you want to learn how to create scalable applications with smart contracts and more, then C++ is an irreplaceable part of your arsenal.

 

Java 

While Ethereum and Bitcoin are undeniably popular among blockchain developers, other platforms are gaining momentum. Developers are choosing to work with Java because of its features like immutability, security, and inflexibility. These are qualities of the programming language that are attracting new developers to develop blockchain technology.

java is a multi-paradigm, object-oriented programming language that’s been around since 1995. it’s been popularized as the primary language for android development, which powers most smartphones in the world. More recently, however, bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have made it one of the most popular languages of developers looking to create prototypes for blockchain projects. 

 

Python 

A lot of developers use Python, as it’s a versatile language that’s great at everything – from back-end to front-end development. So if you’re reading this article, I can only assume you are at least a little interested in the topic. But what does Python mean? Is it a programming language? What kind of programming language is it and why does it have such an awesome logo?

Python has gone a long way. It first appeared in 1991 as a scripting language used for system administration tasks. Today, it is a widely-used general-purpose language that can be applied to various programming projects.

Written by Darshan Kothari

Founder of Vardhaman Infotech - Blockchain & AI development Company. Developed world's first KALQ Keyboard. Thiel fellowship runner up. Love reading books.

May 27, 2021

Categories

You May Also Like…

Get a Quote

Fill up the form and our Team will get back to you within 24 hours

3 + 4 =