how to learn about blockchain

Right here on Collegelearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on what is blockchain, how to become a blockchain developer, what are the prerequisites to learn blockchain, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

What is blockchain?

Learn the basics of blockchain technology and why it can enhance trust in both record keeping and financial transactions.

Blockchain is a system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat the system.

A blockchain is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain. Each block in the chain contains a number of transactions, and every time a new transaction occurs on the blockchain, a record of that transaction is added to every participant’s ledger. The decentralised database managed by multiple participants is known as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).

Blockchain is a type of DLT in which transactions are recorded with an immutable cryptographic signature called a hash.

The Properties of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) | Blockchain Explained | Euromoney Learning

This means if one block in one chain was changed, it would be immediately apparent it had been tampered with. If hackers wanted to corrupt a blockchain system, they would have to change every block in the chain, across all of the distributed versions of the chain.

Blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are constantly and continually growing as blocks are being added to the chain, which significantly adds to the security of the ledger.

Why is there so much hype around blockchain technology?

There have been many attempts to create digital money in the past, but they have always failed.

The prevailing issue is trust. If someone creates a new currency called the X dollar, how can we trust that they won’t give themselves a million X dollars, or steal your X dollars for themselves?

Bitcoin was designed to solve this problem by using a specific type of database called a blockchain. Most normal databases, such as an SQL database, have someone in charge who can change the entries (e.g. giving themselves a million X dollars). Blockchain is different because nobody is in charge; it’s run by the people who use it. What’s more, bitcoins can’t be faked, hacked or double spent – so people that own this money can trust that it has some value.

HOW CAN A NEWBIE START LEARNING ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN?

Blockchain indeed is one of the most revolutionary changes that has emerged in the recent past. Some believe that it is going to be a key driver of change for many industries. This has opened the gateway to opportunities for many businesses to start developing Blockchain-based applications, and at the same time, it also paves the way for new job opportunities. Knowing Blockchain technology and its application in various domains will keep you ahead of the crowd. It will positively affect your resume and will fetch you a better job and a handsome salary.

The next question that pops up is how a beginner should begin learning about this technology. Although you may find many companies promoting these courses, finding the one which can provide you with hands-on experience in addition to theoretical practice is a daunting task. Blockchain Council is a renowned platform for learning. It offers courses for both, beginners and professionals. Learn blockchain concepts and have an in-depth knowledge of blockchain technology and its platforms. Now, How to learn blockchain technology? This article will guide you through the path of becoming a blockchain professional and what skills are required to start your career in this booming technology. 

Table of Content

  1. What does it take to become a Blockchain Developer?
  2. You must be a Developer 
  3. What are the prerequisites for becoming a Blockchain Developer?
  4. Technical Skills Required to be a Blockchain Developer
  5. Become a Blockchain Developer
  6. Know about Smart Contracts
  7. Get familiar with Decentralized Applications
  8. Understanding Blockchain Security
  9. Learning Simplify
  10. Conclusion 

What does it take to become a Blockchain Developer?

There are a few necessary things that you must know if you want to make a career in Blockchain or if you want to learn about this technology. If you have basic knowledge about computers and coding, this will help you better understand the concepts of the blockchain. If you have a Bachelor in Technology in Computer science or related fields, then it is a good option to seek an opportunity in blockchain technology. 

Companies currently hiring for Blockchain are looking for candidates who know how to improvise the current technology and come up with something new; this is only possible if you have thorough technical knowledge.

The first step towards being a Blockchain developer is to be a developer, and after that, you can learn blockchain development skills and be a blockchain developer.  

You must be a Developer

With the basic understanding of programming like Object Oriented Programing Language, flat and relational databases and procedural language will always prove to be helpful in understanding blockchain in a better way. All the skills that a developer has nowadays are useful in blockchain technology. Therefore, having the knowledge of data structures, web development, and basic programming language is required for becoming a blockchain developer. 

A developer has a better understanding of Data Structure, so begin with gaining insight into Data structures. Secondly, you must have the zeal to understand new technology. You must learn about Queues, Tree, Stack, LinkedList, and Hedera HashMaps data structure.

You must learn about coding as it will help you write efficient codes for Blockchain. Also, an understanding of basic architectures like MVVM, MVC, Document-View Architecture, MVC, and Microservices, knowing will help you understand the difference between the conventional and decentralized system.

Besides, you must also learn the fundamentals of Communication Architectures. Its always advisable that you must know the programming languages like C, C++, or JavaScript. If you are a fresher, you must first gear up to learn all the subjects mentioned earlier so that it becomes easy for you to understand the Blockchain system.

Start the journey to become a blockchain developer with having the above-mentioned skills and learn blockchain concepts in detail. Let us know more about what else you need to be a blockchain Developer.

What are the prerequisites for becoming a Blockchain Developer?

  1. To being learning about blockchain, you must start off by learning the basics of Blockchain and cryptocurrency. You can begin this by joining various blockchain communities and visiting Bitcoin forums on Reddit, crypto vlogs on YouTube, and Blockchain news on Coindesk.
  2. Well, if you are ready to have some hands-on experience, you can do the same by buying some cryptocurrency and trading it. You can try Coinbase for the same.
  3. You can join courses provided by various online forms like the one offered by Blockchain Council.
  4. Coding, having a basic idea about coding, will always be helpful. It will help you do the programming for Blockchain applications.

Technical skills required to start your journey as a Blockchain Developer or Blockchain Engineer

Now to be in the blockchain field, you must have the knowledge of basic blockchain technology with the new concepts evolving in the blockchain ecosystem. Here are few skills that you need to learn and have in-depth knowledge for starting a career in blockchain technology. 

  • Distributed Systems and Networking

To understand blockchain technology, you need to start from the start. Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger, so it is necessary to have an understanding of the peer-to-peer networks. Also, you need to have knowledge about the Blockchain consensus mechanism, which is a core of blockchain. The most used blockchain consensus algorithm is Proof-of-Work (PoW) on with bitcoin works, and the other one is Proof-of-Stake (PoS). 

  • Cryptography

One of the most talked-about blockchain applications is cryptocurrency. Cryptography is the technology behind cryptocurrency. So having the basic knowledge of hash functions and good mathematical skills will do wonders for you in this field. Also, having the understanding of Block Ciphers. Authenticated encryption and message integrity are also a must. 

  • Data Structures

As we know Blockchain is a specific form of Database, and information is stored in the blocks where one block is connected to another. So, on the whole, you need to have the concept behind storing data in blockchain technology. Here, the database moves across the network called a distributed ledger, and the security is maintained with the help of cryptography.  A blockchain developer must be aware of the practical working of the data structures like linked lists, hash maps, graphs, search trees, etc. 

  • Advanced Programming Language

With the basic knowledge of programming language, you must also be familiar with some advanced programming languages. A list of some is mentioned below-

  • C++
  • Java, JavaScript
  • C#
  • Python
  • Solidity
  • Go
  • Scala
  • Kotline

Become a Blockchain Developer

After acquiring the necessary developing skillset, you must know what type of blockchain developer you need to become. You can be a Blockchain Software developer or be a core blockchain developer. Let’s find out what are their basic job roles and responsibilities. 

Blockchain Software Developer

They have to build applications that are based on blockchain architecture and protocol. Blockchain software developer tends to create decentralized applications (DApps)  and web applications. The Blockchain software developer manages all front-end and back-end development.  

Roles of Blockchain Software Developer:

  • Smart Contracts Development
  • Backend and frontend designs development for DApps 
  • Supervising the entire DApps running stack.  

Core Blockchain Developer

These developers focus more o the core part of blockchain technology, which involves designing the consensus protocol, security, and architecture of blockchain technology.  

Role of Core Blockchain Developer –

  • Designing blockchain protocols 
  • Consensus algorithm designing and managing security dor the network. 
  • Also, designing the blockchain network architecture
  • Supervising the entire network

Knowing Smart Contracts

For automating the transaction, smart contracts are used in blockchain technology. Smart contracts increase the Blockchain capabilities without any central authority. Blockchain developers need to audit and optimize smart contracts. It is essential to know the possibilities of smart contracts execution. As a blockchain developer, make sure to execute the smart contracts only when they are expected. Smart contracts are created when there are specific conditions and as soon as the particular condition is achieved then the transaction is processed automatically. 

Get familiar with Decentralized Applications

As a blockchain developer, you need to develop decentralized applications (DApps) using blockchain technology. There are several blockchain platforms that can be used in building DApps. Let’s learn some basic information about some popular blockchain platforms from below:

  • Ethereum: Learning Solidity is a must if you’re going to make your career in this domain. Solidity plays a crucial role in writing smart contracts. Solidity is an object-oriented programing language that is quite similar to ECMA Script and JavaScript.
  • Hyperledger: It is a permission private Blockchain that plays a key role in developing Hyperledger tools. You must have knowledge about two projects, namely, Hyperledger Fiber and Hyperledger Composer. 
  • EOS:  This platform supports industrial-scale applications. Also, it has more scalability and higher transaction speed like ethereum. So the application of EOS is also widely spread across the blockchain ecosystem.
  • NEO: This blockchain platform is not limited to one programming language. Therefore, a beginner programmer having knowledge of basic programming language can easily get hands-on experience in this blockchain platform. For example, developing DAapps on NEO, you can use JAVA and C#. This platform has a great opportunity in digital business.  

There is no particular requirement to become a Blockchain Developer, but if you are well-versed with the technical aspect and also have basic knowledge about the decentralized system, then it would be easy for you to understand and work on this system.

Understanding Blockchain Security

All blockchain developers must have security skills, including Digital signature, cryptographic hashing, Merkle proofs, public-key cryptography, private key cryptography, etc.. Hence, it is very essential for the developers to know the basic details about these terms. The security framework of the blockchain is needed for every platform and Application development. 

Learn to Simplify the Complex Problems 

The main purpose of blockchain technology is to simplify operations. Therefore, as a Blockchain developer, must have the skills to design and implement the solutions to make better outcomes for the company. 

Conclusion 

The Blockchain is a revolutionary technology that is here to change business and render services across various business niches. This has made many big names in the industries explore various aspects of this technology and its multifaceted application. It has given rise to the need for Blockchain Developers who can aid the process of development of this platform.

As per the latest report by Upwork, Blockchain engineering is the second most demanded skill by companies across the globe, which indicates the popularity of this course on a global platform. Moreover, the broader application of Blockchain in different fields like financial sectors, business, healthcare, etc., opens up a wide array of opportunities for growth for the people who are fresh graduates.

Learning Blockchain from scratch may appear like a daunting task. Still, if you have some preliminary knowledge about programming languages, coding, and data structure, you will become more comfortable learning about this technology. Moreover, if you have the zeal to learn about Blockchain and you are willing to make a stable career in this area, then you must take a step ahead and start learning about  Blockchain.

Leave a Reply