Reasons and Methods to Become a Web3 Developer

Why Become a Web3 Developer

Definition and Characteristics of Web3

Web3 is a concept that represents a vision for a better internet. It was first proposed by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood in 2014, aiming to address the problem of the internet's excessive reliance on trust. Although Web3 does not have a strict definition, it generally has the following characteristics:

1. Decentralization: not controlled by a central entity, but jointly owned by the participants.
2. Open Participation: Everyone has equal rights to participate, no permission required.
3. Trustless: Operates through a token incentive mechanism, without relying on trusted third parties.

The development trend of Web3

Web3 is undoubtedly an important trend. While the emergence of Bitcoin and Ethereum laid the foundation, what truly made Web3 a major trend was the explosion of decentralized finance ( DeFi ) in 2020, which provided practical financial application scenarios for blockchain.

From the perspective of user numbers, the Web3 industry has experienced explosive growth since 2020. Except for 2022, when the growth rate slowed due to market sluggishness, the number of users has been continuously increasing in other years. It is expected that in 2024, with the Bitcoin halving and the arrival of a bull market, the number of users will continue to grow, and the upward trend is unstoppable.

From a policy perspective, Hong Kong's friendly attitude towards Web3 also reflects this trend:

• The Hong Kong Web3 Association was established in April 2023.
• Policy declaration supporting Web3 development released in August 2023
• October 2023 Update on Cryptocurrency Market Regulatory Policies
• The first batch of virtual asset exchanges obtained licenses in January 2024.
• The Web3 Carnival will be held in April 2024 and will launch a digital asset ETF.

Since Web3 started to become a trend in 2020, the best time to join Web3 was four years ago, and the next best time is now.

Advantages of Web2 Developers Learning Web3

As a developer who got in touch with Web3 in 2020 and transitioned from Web2 in 2022, I believe Web2 developers should learn Web3 for the following reasons:

1. The Importance of Continuous Learning: The technology industry evolves rapidly, necessitating constant learning to maintain competitiveness.

2. Balance of Depth and Breadth of Skills: Deepening expertise in a professional field helps to become an expert, while learning cutting-edge technologies like Web3 can broaden horizons.

3. Potential Innovation Opportunities: Web3 has yet to experience a "singularity moment" akin to the iPhone for mobile or ChatGPT for AI, which means there is still vast room for innovation in Web3.

4. Guarantee for future development: In case Web2 cannot be sustained in the future, turning to Web3 is also an option.

How to Become a Web3 Developer

Overview of the Web3 Technology Stack

The Web3 technology stack can be divided into the following layers:

1. Network Layer: Includes Layer 1 and Layer 2 public chains, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, etc.

2. Blockchain Interaction Layer: Allows reading and writing blockchain data, including node services, faucets, indexing services, and block explorers.

3. Presentation Layer: Targeted at developers, providing blockchain development tools and libraries.

4. Distributed Applications ( DApps ): User-oriented, covering various application categories such as DeFi, NFT, identity authentication, etc.

Skills required for DApp development

The biggest difference between DApp development and traditional Web applications lies in the change of roles of the backend and database. Smart contracts replace the traditional backend, while blockchain replaces the traditional database. DApp development mainly involves the following skills:

Front-end:

• Interface development: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern frameworks such as React and Vue
• Authentication and data read/write: integrate wallet interfaces, interact with the blockchain using libraries such as Ethers.js.

Backend ( semi-decentralized application ):

• Integrated Blockchain SDK
• Programming languages: Go/Rust/NodeJS

Smart Contract:

• EVM Chain: Learn Solidity Language
• Non-EVM chains: Learn the corresponding language based on the specific public chain ( such as Solana using Rust, Sui using Move ).

Suggestions for Learning Web3

1. Follow Web3 media to get industry news
2. Participate in the Web3 developer community
3. When learning about a new project, first read the official documentation and follow the official social media.
4. Actively participate in real projects or Hackathons
5. Improve English proficiency

Conclusion

Web3 represents the future direction of development. For Web2 developers, exploring Web3 not only leverages existing technological advantages but also expands career perspectives and enhances creativity at work. However, in the face of the restless atmosphere in the Web3 industry, developers should focus on the technology itself and engage in work that has long-term value to promote their own growth.