8 Skills to Look for When Hiring Blockchain Developers
Are you looking for a top blockchain developer but unsure how to choose one or what to look for? This post highlights a list of top blockchain developer skills you must look for, which will help you separate the wheat from the chaff.
Following an exponential rise in blockchain technology adoption worldwide, there has been a boom in demand for blockchain solutions. In light of this, the demand for blockchain developers has also increased, adding to companies' struggle and trouble finding the right developers amidst growing developer scarcity. However, knowing the blockchain developer skills that you should look for when evaluating the competency of blockchain developers can be very helpful.
By the end of this post, you will be very clear about the blockchain developer skills you should look for when hiring to ensure that you choose the best. But first, let’s get an overview of Blockchain technology.
What Is Blockchain Technology?
Today, it is impossible for someone not to be acquainted with Blockchain technology. It is possible that people might not have used it or been a part of it, but I bet they know about it, and many are looking for ways to invest in it. (If you already know about Blockchain, be a good sport and read on for once more.)
Blockchain technology, simply put, is a digital ledger that contains packets of information in the form of blocks that are chronologically linked to each other and are part of a distributed network. These blocks are arranged in order of their generation or the order of the transaction time and are immutable, i.e., no information can be tempered.
Blockchain technology runs on a peer-to-peer network; hence, all the participating members have access to the chain, and no central authority controls the operations. Every piece of information, be it sensitive data or transaction records, is stored in blocks and then secured by cryptographic hashing, which makes the stored data immutable.
Blockchain technology has a huge market size anticipated to reach nearly 1 trillion USD by 2032. It is considered one of the breakthrough technologies with the most representation in the startup world. Binance, Chainalysis, and Coinbase are some of the most notable startups powered by blockchain technology that have achieved Unicorn status.
The technology has gradually entered almost every leading sector worldwide. The image below shows the top blockchain application areas.
This humongous growth in blockchain technology adoption has led to a boost in demand for rapid development of blockchain solutions, which has further resulted in growing numbers of blockchain developers to meet the requirements. These many options often make it challenging to pick the right blockchain developer.
Let's simplify this dilemma by providing a list of 8 skills you must look for in the developer you choose to ensure they can meet your requirements and create a blockchain solution that meets your expectations.
Eight Must-Have Blockchain Developer Skills
#1 Proficiency in One or More Programming Languages
One of the most essential and primary blockchain developer skills is knowledge of programming languages. A blockchain developer must be skilled in one or more programming languages to curate diverse blockchain solutions. There are multiple operations for which these developers have to write programs or, say, codebase.
Ultimately, blockchain technology is a digital ledger that runs on a peer-to-peer network. You need a codebase for almost everything, be it to store data or secure data blocks and transactions through cryptography. To ensure the blockchain solution complies with computer networks of various specifications, developers must write integration and compliance codebases. Hence, blockchain developers must be fully versed in one or more programming languages.
The above image lists some of the most popular programming languages that blockchain developers worldwide prefer while creating blockchain solutions.
#2 Thorough Understanding of Blockchain Architecture
Can an architect design a building merely by knowing what materials are used? No, right? The architect needs to be skilled in structural engineering and construction knowledge. Similarly, your blockchain developer can not provide the best solution without a deep understanding of blockchain architecture.
The blockchain developer you choose must know all about blockchain and its architecture. A developer with a thorough understanding of the architecture can create a unique and robust blockchain solution free of vulnerabilities and effectively complete its expected task. Moreover, the time it takes to develop the blockchain solution will also be less.
#3 Cryptography
One of the most essential components of a blockchain is cryptography. Cryptography is a technique that involves writing a program that protects a piece of information shared between only involved members and ensures that the shared data can not be accessed or tempered by third parties.
Cryptography is a must in blockchain technology to ensure that the blocks of information, once created, can not be altered. It is also essential from the point of view of encryption, which will inhibit unauthorized people from accessing the inside information.
Hence, the blockchain developer must have cryptography skills to secure the blockchain solution. Developers with poor cryptographic skills often design a blockchain solution with poor cryptography, which makes the solutions vulnerable to security breaches.
#4 Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a broad branch covering a wide range of security measures and cryptography. It involves protecting the entire blockchain solution and the network from a wide range of security threats, not just the information inside a block. While cryptography ensures the integrity and security of transactions performed in blockchain, cybersecurity involves protecting the whole ecosystem from any threats, including peer-to-peer networks and devices or nodes that are part of the blockchain.
Did you know that around 2,200 cyberattacks happen daily, on average, every 39 seconds? Also, a single data breach incident costs an average of $9.44M in the USA. Hence, it is essential to implement safe cybersecurity measures for companies by hiring competent blockchain developers with expertise in cybersecurity.
Blockchain developers must have cybersecurity skills to secure and encrypt the blockchain and the entire ecosystem of which the blockchain is a small part. This builds the robustness and reliability of the blockchain solution and credibility in participants' eyes, assuring them impeccable security from all kinds of cyber attacks.
#5 Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are an essential skill for every blockchain developer and a vital part of a blockchain solution. They are computer programs containing terms and agreements automatically executed without manual intervention once the contract conditions are met. Smart contracts allow blockchain developers to create various innovative blockchain solutions. They are the main components powering non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other blockchain-powered digital assets.
For example, smart contracts are used to create NFTs, manage, secure, and verify their transactions. NFTs are just a tiny example of smart contracts, which have uses spanning a wide range of digital assets. Therefore, every blockchain developer must be skilled in smart contracts.
#6 Software Development
Again, if you are a techie, you must know that many kinds of software power blockchain solutions. Software development skills are needed in almost every operation of a blockchain solution, be it writing programs for smart contracts or creating user interfaces for blockchain solutions or apps. Blockchain developers use their software development skills to manage and synchronize all the nodes in the peer-to-peer network and implement blockchain protocols.
How can we forget blockchain security? Every blockchain solution requires extensive software development work to ensure that the whole blockchain and peer-to-peer networks are secure and that the data flowing in them is immutable.
Software development skills are also crucial when integrating blockchain technology solutions with major breakthrough technologies. Hence, the blockchain developer you choose must have excellent software development skills. The image attached below shows some of the biggest blockchain technology integration trends.
#7 Data Structure
A data structure is a collection of data that can be easily retrieved, stored, processed, and accessed. Similarly, data structure skills refer to the ability of a blockchain developer to organize chunks of data so that they are easily accessible, comprehendible, and usable. A robust data structure not only benefits the blockchain participants but also minimizes data storage space and processing time.
Efficient data structure skills are crucial blockchain developer skills that ensure they can store, process, and manage blockchain data efficiently, speeding up transaction processes.
#8 Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills
Analytical and Problem-Solving skills are the most critical skills that leading blockchain developers worldwide have. Today, almost every leading industry and company invests in blockchain-powered solutions, leading to tough market competition.
Therefore, the blockchain developer you choose must help you build a unique and robust solution that successfully solves user problems and stands out in the market. Your blockchain developer must have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. They should also be innovative and able to suggest unique solutions that can efficiently solve the problems of your target market.
Why Is Evaluating Blockchain Developer Skills Essential?
The eight blockchain developer skills discussed in this post are crucial. The abovementioned skills ensure the developed blockchain solution is secure from cyber attacks and security breaches. They ensure that the solutions are unique, reliable, and robust. These skills ensure that the blockchain solution takes minimal memory space, performs optimally, and is easily accessible and readable.
A blockchain developer with the abovementioned skills can help you develop the right solutions to solve the target market's problems and boost the company's credibility and profits. On the other hand, a blockchain developer lacking these skills is unproductive and cannot provide you with the right business solution, wasting a lot of time and resources.
Therefore, paying ample attention to the eight must-have skills mentioned in the post is essential to ensure that you choose the right blockchain developer and that your investment is fruitful.
How to Hire Competent Blockchain Developers on Goodfirms?
If you are looking forward to hiring competent blockchain developers effortlessly and in minimal time, you should visit Goodfirms. Goodfirms will provide you with a list of some of the most credible and efficient blockchain developers in the market for any of your preferred locations. Visit the Goodfirms page and access the blockchain technology services section from the “Find Services” header menu.
Goodfirms provides a range of filter options to help you shortlist only the most relevant blockchain developers. You can get a list of blockchain developers based on the type of service you seek, your preferred platforms, countries, cities, states, and industries. Once you get the list, you can access more filters to shortlist blockchain developers. You can use filters like hourly rates, employees, reviews, and industries.
Goodfirms provides an in-depth profile of every company it lists to help service seekers learn about the blockchain developer they are reviewing in minimal time. The platform also provides the contact information for every listed blockchain developer to make it easy for you to contact them.