Volker Hartzsch is the director and co-founder of Block Prime, the company behind Sixth Society – a community of daring investors and entrepreneurs poised to lead the crypto-Web3 industry of the future. This article will take a closer look at blockchain, providing an overview of the work undertaken by blockchain developers.
For most people, blockchain technology remains something of a mystery. Even among those with a strong grasp of technological concepts, misunderstandings still abound.
Blockchain is essentially a type of database used to organise and store information. While in a traditional database information is arranged in tables with rows and columns, making data easy for computers to recognise, with blockchain, information is digitally formatted and organised in clusters known as ‘blocks’. Each of these blocks has a limited storage capacity. Once capacity is reached the block closes, linking to the preceding block via cryptography and continuing the chain.
Cryptography creates a timestamp when one block links to another that cannot be altered, resulting in a permanent record verifying the accuracy of sensitive data like transactions. Traditional databases, on the other hand, are generally controlled by a central authority, with sensitive data managed and maintained by an organisation or administrator.
A blockchain developer is a software engineer who specialises in developing blockchain networks or decentralised applications for networks. Qualified blockchain developers benefit from a deep understanding of blockchain and DLT. They know what is involved in implementing individual blockchain components and how data and cryptography structures fit into the blockchain. Although many blockchain developers specialise in a particular area, all possess a wide breadth of knowledge regarding what it takes to deploy an effective blockchain network and applications.
Blockchain development involves building, designing and maintaining blockchain systems and applications, using the unique features of blockchain technology to solve problems and create opportunities. One example of blockchain development is the smart contract, which is a documented agreement between two parties. Unlike a regular contract, a smart contract is stored on a blockchain and triggered to run only when both parties fulfil the stipulated terms and conditions.
Blockchain developers fall into two categories: blockchain software developers and core blockchain developers. While blockchain software developers create applications for existing blockchain platforms, core blockchain developers develop and maintain blockchain systems themselves. Blockchain is poised to revolutionise the way the way data is handled and business is done in the digital world. For those seeking a career in a growth industry, the role of blockchain developer poses significant potential.
