As more companies around the world adopt blockchain technology, it has become increasingly important to encourage and educate people about entering the industry. Importantly, the potential of blockchain technology is not limited to just crypto-assets but can be applied to a wide range of industries including finance, healthcare, supply chain management, and more.
What is a blockchain developer?
Put simply, a blockchain developer is a person who has the knowledge and expertise to build decentralised applications using blockchain technology (blockchain product development). They are responsible for creating and implementing blockchain solutions that are secure, efficient, and transparent.
While blockchain developers can come from any background, they are typically software developers who specialise in building applications using blockchain technology. BitcoinSV has several developers which are responsible for creating, testing, and maintaining the Bitcoin protocol, as well as developing new features and improving the overall performance of the network.
These developers typically have a deep understanding of computer science, cryptography, and economics and are responsible for blockchain coding that implements new features, bug fixes, and how to improve the network's overall performance.
What you need to become a blockchain developer
These are the skills that one typically needs to become a blockchain developer:
- A solid understanding of blockchain technology - A blockchain developer should have a thorough understanding of the workings of blockchain technology, including its underlying principles, such as consensus algorithms, cryptography, and distributed ledger technology.
- Some proficiency in blockchain programming languages - A blockchain developer should have at least some proficiency in blockchain programming languages. For Bitcoin developers, this typically includes C++, Python, JavaScript, and Solidity.
- An understanding of smart contracts - A blockchain developer needs to have some knowledge of smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code.
- Familiarity with data structures - A blockchain developer should have an understanding of data structures such as Merkle trees, hash functions, and cryptographic signatures.
- Conscientiousness and attention to detail - A blockchain developer should be detail-oriented and have a meticulous approach to coding, as even small errors in code can lead to significant problems.
The day-to-day tasks of a blockchain developer
Below are some of the typical day-to-day tasks expected of a blockchain developer:
- Designing and developing blockchain solutions - The primary task of a blockchain developer is to design and develop blockchain solutions that meet the specific needs of their clients. They need to develop secure, efficient, and scalable blockchain solutions that can handle large volumes of data and transactions.
- Writing/building smart contracts - A blockchain developer needs to write smart contracts that will execute automatically when certain conditions are met. Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code.
- Integrating blockchain with existing systems - A blockchain developer needs to integrate blockchain technology with existing systems to enable data and transaction sharing across different platforms. This requires a deep understanding of the existing systems and the ability to build interfaces that allow for seamless integration.
- Testing and debugging - A blockchain developer needs to test and debug their code to ensure that it functions properly. This involves identifying and fixing errors in code and ensuring that the blockchain solution is secure and free from vulnerabilities.
- Maintenance and fixes - A blockchain developer needs to maintain the blockchain systems they have built by regularly updating and improving them. This includes monitoring the performance of the blockchain solution, addressing any issues that arise, and ensuring that the solution remains secure.
Learn more about becoming a blockchain developer
If you are interested in learning more about blockchain, Bitcoin, and blockchain developers, we encourage you to sign up for one of the BSV Academy’s courses.
BSV Academy is an online education platform for Bitcoin which offers academia-quality, university-style courses and learning materials categorised under Bitcoin Theory, Bitcoin Development, Bitcoin Infrastructure and Bitcoin Enterprise, in addition to several short courses covering specific concepts and content in more detail.
Developed and run by the global industry organisation supporting the BSV blockchain, BSV Academy has been created to make learning about the Bitcoin protocol – the way creator Satoshi Nakamoto designed it – accessible, accurate, and understandable.
