Start Your Web3 & Blockchain Developer Career from Scratch / Roadmap
You can do it, it’s not rocket science.
I’ve seen many people interested in getting started in Web3 and explicitly focusing on development. Maybe you’ve seen the saying of giving up your 9 to 5 web2 job to work 24/7 in web3, and honestly, I think that’s true due to the extreme excitement about the space and the new technologies being built and the FOMO. So, when you level up your game so high to be in a place where you know at least what’s happening in areas where you’re interested, 24/7 happens, and it feels incredible. This guide will be for everyone new to programming, doing programming for some time, or even being an experienced developer. It includes a roadmap for three directions, frontend, backend, and blockchain development.
Where to Start?
Firstly, software development is in no way different in web3 from web2; web3 is a continuation of internet development, and your skill set from web2 development is needed. Because there’s this web3 distinction, it represents a new mental model of ownership of the internet, a permissionless and trustless way of existing on the internet. Web3 is just different from what we’re used to.
You may ask, should I learn web2 development first?
There’s no need to make a difference between web2 and web3 technologies; as I mentioned earlier, everything you’re doing in software development is needed, be patient.
Frontend Development
Thanks to the contributors to the roadmap.sh, I always find myself getting there to get an overview of the tech stack I want to review, learn, and practice. We’ll use their resources to do a checklist of the skill set.
To not overload you with information, give the roadmap. Look for all the resources they offer. Here, I’ll share exactly what you’ll need to practice and from where. So this way, you follow a structure that sends you further into the process.
What you need is hands-on coding right away, using free resources.
For hands-on JavaScript, see the Learn JavaScript, https://scrimba.com/learn/learnjavascript free tutorial. You’ll code a passenger counter app, a blackjack game, and a chrome extension.
For hands-on React, see the Learn React, https://scrimba.com/learn/learnreact free tutorial. You’ll develop four projects, an info site, an Airbnb Experiences clone, a meme generator, a notes app, and a tenzies game.
Backend Development
The backend is responsible for sending data back to the client based on requests from the client side (the frontend). This is where all the development around business logic, data manipulation, and user data happens. We’re focusing on web development, so we can also use JavaScript for the backend.
Find an overview article reading about backend web architecture, and read about different concepts so you’re introduced to areas you’ll find when you start coding. The concepts can be around clients, servers, core functions of the app, server responses, databases, Web APIs, and request & response cycle.
One resource: Free Code Camp! Search for the Back End Development and APIs. https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/back-end-development-and-apis/. Make sure to do the four sections.
Blockchain Development
Basic Blockchain Knowledge, I suggest you go to odysseydao.com. I think this is the best resource to learn web3 and blockchain in general; you have different paths there, so make sure not to go through the rabbit hole of web3.
Reminder: You’re here to code.
To not go again through the rabbit hole, let’s understand the direction where we’re going for this roadmap. Blockchain Developers are professionals who work on designing blockchain protocols and building smart contracts.
Moreover, blockchain development can be classified into:
Blockchain Software Development
Core Blockchain Development
While you might be confused about why there is a distinction, this is where things get exciting. This is where the web2 and web3 skill set differences have to be valid.
The Core Blockchain Developer designs the Blockchain protocols and consensus protocols; they’re responsible for designing and monitoring network architecture. While the Blockchain Software Developer develops APIs for blockchain integration, this includes the frontend and backend of the decentralized applications (dApps), developing and implementing smart contracts.
Once again, you can look at the roadmap.sh for Blockchain: https://roadmap.sh/blockchain.
Hint: Click on the little boxes at the roadmap.sh to read more information for each item.
We’ll pick a path here and select Blockchain Software Development. This is where you can use the skills you already have to make the switch and start working in web3. Now that you’re aware of the frontend and backend development resources let’s dive into Smart Contracts Development.
Smart Contracts Development
Smart Contracts are the last section of the Blockchain Developer Roadmap we’ll focus on, and this is where you can interact with the blockchain technology because the code you’ll write in your smart contracts will run on the blockchain. The contracts you’ll be able to write in a couple of months will have different functionalities related to accepting money, deciding who can borrow money, interests, and NFT marketplace functionalities, etc.—Replacing the traditional middle man such as banks.
To get started, the best resource would be Ethereum Smart Contracts Documentation—but I’m going to share a single link, a single resource, for you to have the opportunity to explore how you learn best. That is the Learn By Doing by Ethereum Docs for an amazing interactive learning experience 🤯 I’m so excited to share this with all of you.
Are You Ready to Start Your Journey?
We’re creating focused groups where you’ll share your progress and any question you have with others following the same path. This is a chance for you to create a network, build a community with others, share your progress, create content on the way, and learn and level up your skill set.
Apply to join the focused groups for each development roadmap here.
Apply to mentor the focused groups for each development roadmap here.
Conclusion
This post is the start of my writing independently for Web3, Blockchain, Development, and Communities. The information I share here will be the curated notes I take for myself. If you’re interested in collaborating, we’re building our community on Discord as well, so you can DM me there :)
I hope you’ve found this concise blog helpful, and see you next time.
Links
Discord, https://discord.gg/pZxgC2UFz7.
YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/c/AlbionaHoti/.
Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/albicodes/.
LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/albionahoti/
GitHub, https://github.com/albionahoti/.
HTML and CSS is not added in front end development roadmap....
does that mean they are not needed....?
HTML and CSS