The increasing number of opportunities in the web3 and blockchain world is resulting in a higher demand for blockchain developers.
The market for blockchain technology is currently growing very rapidly, resulting in high demand for and low supply of blockchain developers. As a result, the compensation and working conditions for blockchain developers are significantly better than those for traditional software developers, often referred to as web2 developers.
If you want to further your career and keep up with the competition, you should become a blockchain developer.
If you search job hunt platforms like LinkedIn and AngelList, you’ll see that the Blockchain field is one of the highest paid in the job market. Blockchain is one of the most active buzzwords in the tech field and is arguably the most revolutionary technology in the past decade. Many people believe that Blockchain is the “Technology of the Future.”
Due to the popularity of Blockchain, the market potential it unlocks for businesses, and the desire of users for a decentralized web, Blockchain has become the center of attention in the tech field.
So successful that hundreds of startups have emerged in just a few years. Multi-billion dollar industries are now keen on jumping the bandwagon.
Because of this, the number of job openings for Blockchain developers is increasing rapidly. And as you would expect, a job that requires a lot of skill and is in high demand pays well, which is one of the main reasons why people who work in the tech industry are teaching themselves how to develop Blockchain technology.
This article will give you a brief understanding of Blockchain technology and how you can become a Blockchain developer. It will also provide an analysis of current job market trends pertaining to Blockchain.
What is Blockchain Technology?
In short, Blockchain is a database that stores data in chronological blocks. When new data is added, it is placed in a block and then timestamped. The block is then added to the end of the chain, forming a chronological chain of data blocks.
So far, the most notable use case for Blockchain is recording financial transactions.
The Blockchain uses two main features to make it a secure transaction ledger: immutability and decentralization. By having these two features, the Blockchain has a level of security that is unmatched by any other system.
If data is written onto a Blockchain, it can’t be changed. A unique hash value isassociated with each block that is added to the Blockchain.
This means that if someone tries to change the data that is stored in a block, the hash value of that block will be changed too. This will then cause the whole Blockchain to be seen as having been tampered with, which makes it a very secure way of storing data.
On the one hand, the word “decentralization” is pretty self-explanatory: something that is not centralized. Decentralization is one of the distinguishing features of Blockchain. Each node (which is basically a computer that runs and hosts the computerized database that Blockchain is) in a Blockchain network maintains a copy of the Blockchain.
Whenever a transaction occurs, it is verified by more than one node. If a node tries to record a fake transaction, it will be rejected by the other nodes. This makes the system more reliable and safe.
So, in simple terms, Blockchain is just a secure database.
Now that we have a general understanding of what Blockchain is, we need to get specific and learn about what a Blockchain developer actually does.
Who is a Blockchain Developer?
A blockchain developer creates applications that work on the blockchain protocol. This protocol runs on top of the internet protocol, and provides the internet for devices that are powered by blockchain technology.
A Blockchain developer’s job consists of writing smart contracts. Smart contracts are programs that run on Blockchain nodes.
Web3 is a decentralized version of the internet that runs on applications and devices that use Blockchain technology. A Blockchain developer creates applications that follow the standards of Web3 for the decentralized web.
The roles that developers play can vary in terms of the tasks they have to perform, and can broadly be categorized into two categories.
A core blockchain developer is responsible for the overall design and development of the blockchain system, including the protocol and consensus mechanism.
Blockchain software developers use algorithms created by core Blockchain developers to create decentralized applications that run on the Blockchain.
What is the Demand for Blockchain developer?
The demand for Blockchain developers has increased by 2000-6000% in recent years, compared to the job market a few years ago.
The average salary of a Blockchain developer is 50-100% higher than that of a conventional software developer. With several Fortune 500 companies also starting to adopt Blockchain technology, the trend is likely to rise even further in the future.
Looking at some statistics will help make this aspect more clear. For example, how much a Blockchain developer makes on average in a year.
Blockchain Developer Salary
As we saw earlier, Blockchain developers are some of the highest-paid in the world right now, with the trends on a steady rise owing to the ever-increasing demands and shift to Web3 technology.
The survey found that Blockchain developers in India make between ?5 L and ?30 L a year, with some senior Blockchain developers making ?50 L a year.
The table below compares the average salaries of blockchain developers in different locations around the world. This will give you an idea of how much you can expect to earn in some of the most popular cities for this profession.
A Blockchain developer in the US can make anywhere from $135k to $200k per year.
However, in the US and UK, the Blockchain developer roles offer much more The table provides information about how much a Blockchain developer earns in different parts of the world. In India, the salary is higher than what an average software developer makes, but in the US and UK, the Blockchain developer roles offer much more.
The salary of a Blockchain developer is largely determined by their experience and skill level. The more experienced and skilled a developer is, the more value they provide to the company and the higher their salary will be.
Blockchain development languages needed
Since we’re on the subject of writing codes, here’s a question:
No, you will not only write smart contracts to build on Ethereum-like blockchains as a blockchain developer.
Web3 developers can create a variety of solutions including shared economies, virtual identities, and DAOs. The possibilities are practically limitless, and there is an increasing number of both blockchain companies and web2 enterprises looking to get involved in the web3 world.
If you’re interested in developing on Ethereum, you can find various projects to join using various languages. Learn more here to find out how you can get started.
But yes, programming smart contracts is vital comparing blockchain developer vs software developer jobs. Aside from languages such as C++, Python, and Java, which are also important in Blockchain technology, there are some that should be familiar with as a blockchain developer languages expert:
- Goland provides developers with the tools they need to create blockchain applications that are fast and efficient. Additionally, Goland is an excellent choice for developing hyperledger fabric applications. This is due to the fact that it employs a modular architecture that allows for the integration of various plug-and-play components, such as consensus, privacy, and membership services.
- C# is a programming language that allows developers to run open-source projects on multiple operating systems. It includes Stratis, a Blockchain-as-a-Service provider that helps businesses develop applications on Blockchain platforms.
- Solidity is a programming language used for creating smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
- Vyper is a programming language that is derived from Python 3. It is also used on the Ethereum blockchain, but has different control and security structures.
- Simplicity is a smart contract focused programming language that is designed to be easy to use for Bitcoin Script development.
- Another solution for smart contracts that takes a more functional approach is Rholang. dApps can be written on the Rholang developer ecosystem.
Extra tip on languages: yes, JavaScript!
We shouldn’t forget about JavaScript. It’s one of the three main technologies that power the World Wide Web (www), alongside CSS and HTML. It can also be used to create innovative Blockchain applications, since it’s integrated into most systems.
How to Become a Blockchain Developer?
The demand for Blockchain developers is very high, and there are not enough skilled professionals to fill the roles. Blockchain is a rapidly evolving field, so there is a lot of potential for innovation and growth. The technology is still relatively new, so there is a lot of room for innovation. This is a great time to learn the skills needed to become a Blockchain developer.
There are few skilled professionals to fill the vacancies in the blockchain technology field because the skills required are difficult to learn and there are many prerequisites.
- Just like any other field in computer science, one has to start with learning the basics of programming. This involves learning a programming language like C++, Python, Java etc., followed by data structures and algorithms to enhance your problem-solving skills, and further strengthen your logical and programming foundations.
- The next step is to cover the foundational concepts in Blockchain— Blockchain architecture and cryptography. We’ll understand these in detail in the next section.
- With these covered, the next step would be to learn how to use some of the essential developer tools and programming languages for Blockchain programming. This involves writing smart contracts, developing and optimizing consensus algorithms, etc. This is where you actually start doing some hands-on as a Blockchain developer.
- Once you master this aspect of Blockchain programming, you move on to the next part— creating decentralized applications. Here, you have the option of mobile app development to target mobile users, or web development to target a web-based user base. This can be treated as an entirely different field on its own, with an extensive set of tools and frameworks that can be used to implement a variety of features.
If you have all of these qualifications, you are suitable for the position of a Blockchain developer.
What about soft skills?
Although hard skills are important, soft skills are just as essential.
The majority of traits for a data engineer are similar to those of a traditional software engineer. However, data engineers must also be skilled in communication, teamwork collaboration, and problem-solving.
However, you can go the extra mile with a few other perks in hand:
Idioms to consider
A career in blockchain may be a good choice for you if you are looking for work in the Latin American market. If you are bilingual in Spanish and English, you will be in a good position to work on blockchain projects in countries like Chile.
If you’re looking to get into blockchain in Europe, you might want to consider German. Switzerland (which has German as one of its official languages) has launched the issuance of digital IDs based on ETH. Additionally, Germany’s industry platform “Industrie 4.0” is developing a blockchain for automated machine communication, contracting, and payment.
In Asia, Japan was one of the first to adopt blockchain technology for Bitcoin mining. China has since imposed restrictions on crypto mining and cryptocurrency, but there is still a blockchain industrial framework in place. Singapore and India are also two other technologically advanced countries working on similar projects.
Problem-solving and creativity
If you want to become a blockchain developer, you need to be able to pay attention to detail.
As you are aware, one of the main responsibilities of a software developer is fixing issues and bugs, so you must be a “problem-solving person”. Here is a hint:
Jerry Cuomo believes that blockchains that use well-known languages and environments are more reliable than those that use less familiar ones. He believes this because bugs are more likely to occur in environments that developers are not familiar with.
This means that writing and using code requires advanced analytical skills and creativity.
Be Agile!
An additional important clue is whether or not you have experience working on Agile projects.
Requirements and solutions evolve best when self-organizing teams collaborate. It can be helpful to have short sprints to complete in order to be able to adapt if something needs to change.
The Agile Manifesto, published in the early 2000s, showed developers the importance of being able to respond to changes. Priority, flexibility, and ongoing prototyping are all part of it.
Average salary
The average salary for a software developer in the USA is between $75,000 and $100,000 per year. Meanwhile, the average salary for a blockchain developer is $145,000. Entry-level positions for blockchain developers start at $121,875 and experienced blockchain developers make up to $185,250, according to Talent.com.
There are many people who believe that web3 will be the future of the internet, including us. Some people are motivated to become blockchain developers because of the high salaries.
The salary is always an important factor in any job.
To sum it up
Becoming a blockchain developer takes a lot of hard work, but it’s definitely possible if you have the right attitude, are willing to work hard, and always want to learn more.
The internet is evolving and growing rapidly, providing new ways to interact and work. There are many opportunities to explore in this new market.
At TAIKAI we offer courses to help you become a Blockchain Developer.
In order to start, you need to create a TAIKAI account. After you have done that, you can choose your first hackathon. While you are doing that, you should also keep an eye out for our partners’ hiring challenges. If you do all of that, you will be able to land your dream job.
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