Since the pandemic there has been explosive growth in Blockchain based applications and crow funding. This has helped many youngsters startup their own businesses and pioneers have reveled in the success of this relatively new industry. To get ahead of the curve, your company must employ the best blockchain developers who are skilled enough to handle the challenges this new industry brings.
The recruitment of these in demand developers can be a challenging task for both startups and corporations. However, this article will help make this challenge just a little bit easier. Think of this article as a cheat book, to get the best blockchain developer you can.
• The Developer Should Have the Basic Concepts Down
There is a need to ensure that a person understands the definition of programming languages such as C, C++, Python, Javascript, Node JS, Solidity, Java and Go when it comes to hiring a blockchain developer. The following ideas should also be understood by a talented blockchain developer—
OOPS
OOPS stands for Object-Oriented Programming Structure, organized from the concept of objects. The objects are arranged into categories, allowing the grouping of individual objects.
Since any object can be updated without impacting other program structures, developers can easily update programs written in languages that are object-oriented.
SYNTAX
The syntax for fundamental programming languages should be understood by a developer. Syntax means rules in programming that describe the combined sequence of symbols used to construct a standardized program for a software's particular features.
Make sure the developer knows the basic syntax of loops, while loops, conditional statements, logical operators, arithmetic operators, relational operators, and more are included.
Multi-Threading
Multi-Threading is a CPU's ability to run multiple threads or processes simultaneously in a multi-core processor. So, in various types of applications, a developer can consider the implementation of multi-threading.
Socket Programming
Socket Programming is a way of linking two nodes to communicate with each other on a network. A client program generates a socket object to connect it to the server. When the connection is established, the server often constructs a socket on the end of its communication.
A blockchain developer must also have a deep knowledge about socket programming.
• Understanding of Security and Encryption
Since the blockchain focuses on the implementation of encryption standards in order to safely move the data, you need to ensure whether or not a developer recognizes the following encryption principles.
Secure Hashing Algorithm (SHA)
A Secure Hashing Algorithm is a series of algorithms that are designed to solve the challenges of cyber security and keep data protected. With a hash function, the algorithm transforms the data and comprises of modular additions, compression functions and bitwise operations. In 1993, the first version of SHA, SHA-0, was built. SHA-1 has 16-bit hashing as its successor, while SHA-2 has a range of two functions with 512-bit and 256-bit technologies. Make sure that a blockchain developer has a comprehensive understanding of encryption principles, as blockchain implements encryption standards.
Encryption and Deciphering
Encryption is the mechanism by which plain text is converted into unreadable random text, known as ciphertext. On the other hand, decryption is the method of translating the text of the cipher back to plain text.
Public Key and Private Key
Two separate cryptographic keys used to encrypt or decrypt the data are part of the public and private key pair. Whilst the private key is proprietary and made accessible only to its respective owner, anyone can access the public key. Since the key pair is numerically linked, the data encrypted with the public key will only be deciphered with the corresponding private key or vice versa.
• Data Structure Knowledge
If you want to employ a blockchain developer or a full stack developer, it is crucial for an individual to understand the data structure principles that are essential to software development. For a blockchain developer, knowledge of the following data structures is important.
Linked List
A linked list is a linear data structure similar to an array, but its elements are connected through pointers to each other. There are two things in each element in the list, i.e. the data and the connection to the next node in the list.
Hash Table
The hash table is a data structure that implements the data form of an associative array that can map keys to their respective values. A hash table can measure an index into a series of slots using a hash function, from which it is easy to find the appropriate value.
Acyclic Graph
A graph without cycles is an acyclic graph and is said to be bipartite. It is also known, except ending and starting vertices, as a path without repeated vertices.
• The Understanding of Basic & Important Blockchain Concepts
Since you are looking to recruit blockchain developers, it is important that they must understand the basic blockchain concepts likes
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
A distributed ledger technology allows the digital data to be exchanged, synchronized and replicated across multiple nodes, rather than storing it at a single location. A developer should understand how DLT operates and how it is applied in various types of the blockchain.
Immutability
Immutability implies something which can never be modified. If the data is entered to a blockchain, nobody can ever change it again. If anyone needs to update the details, a new event is added to the chain, but the data saved previously can never be updated or deleted.
Consensus
The consensus process is used since there is no centralized entity involved in the blockchain to decide things relevant to the inclusion of new blocks. The consensus is a collective decision-making mechanism in which all group members make a joint decisions for the betterment of the entire network. o For example, if anyone wants to update the info on the blockchain, if the data to be updated is true or not, every node in the network will agree. After a consensus is reached, a new block may be attached to the chain.
Crypto Tokens
Crypto Tokens represents an unique function or asset which exists on top of the blockchain. Tokens are tradeable and fungible assets, from goods to cryptocurrencies, or loyalty points. Since it is an easier job to build crypto tokens, a blockchain developer must know how to create a token.
Smart Contracts
The business logic of Smart Contracts allows you to exchange land, shares, assets, or anything of value efficiently and transparently without intermediaries being involved. The language of solidity is used to write smart contracts for various platforms, such as Ethereum, Hyperledger.
DApps
DApps is an abreviation for decentralized applications which, instead of a single device, are executed on a Peer to Peer computer network.
Sharding
Sharding is used mainly to add more productivity to databases. A shard is a horizontal portion of the database which is stored to distribute the load in an isolated server case. Sharding is done in the case of the blockchain to store only a portion of the data, not the full information in any node.
Blockchain Public
The public blockchain allows anyone to store and share information, which means that anyone can make legal changes or add a new block to the chain. Anyone, for example, can use the cryptographic keys of Bitcoin; anyone can enter the network to operate the network and become a miner. Other examples are Ethereum, Lightning networks, etc.
Permissioned Blockchain
The approved blockchain enables anyone to read the records available, but requires individual participants to mine or validate transactions. Examples include Hyperledger Cloth, R3 Corda, and Sawtooth from Hyperledger.
• Should Know the Tools used for Building Blockchain Apps
The basic understanding of the following development methods should be known by a blockchain developer:
Composer- An open-source tool for developing applications for blockchains.
Explorer- Tool to build a web application that is user-friendly.
Remix- An open-source instrument directly from the browser to write solidity contracts.
Metamask- Moving cryptocurrencies to another wallet from one wallet address.
Etherscan- Testing the various smart contracts and all transactions that take place over the Ethereum network.
Mist- Serves as an interface through the wallet for the transaction.
Caliper-A method to assess the efficiency of the implementation of a specific blockchain.
Bitcoin BlockExplorer- A platform for providing comprehensive information on the addresses, transactions, and blocks of Bitcoin.
• Where to Find Blockchain Developers?
You have to know where to find the right blockchain developer once you understand what you are searching for. Since blockchain is in its early stages, make sure that the professional developers are not only found on Blockchain development services, LinkedIn or other work portals. The correct way to employ blockchain developers is to find them on public platforms such as Reddit and Twitter to exchange awareness or information about blockchain. At hackathons or other start-up activities, both online and offline, you can also find blockchain developers sharing ideas.
What to Look for While Finding B2B Blockchain Developers
- How old is their Business ?
It is important to look at the years of experience the company has in developing digital platforms when looking for a company. Make sure they are in a competitive market for how long they have been (when the company was founded, when was the domain registered, etc.).
Do not forget to ask about all the accomplishments and awards they have received for their excellent work in this area. You can also check for the quality of their products and any patents or approved products that they have released.
Who have the worked with?
The portfolio of a company is a measure of how well the company has performed in the past, how large its customers have been, and what goods the company has built for customers. Checking if the organization provides technical support for the platforms they have installed in the past is a major factor. If the business still holds the products of the past, then the company should have done a great job developing the product. Ask whether they only dealt with start-up companies or even with Fortune 500 firms. You can make a fast and educated decision if they've ever developed a product for Fortune 500 businesses.What the team like?
When you search for a blockchain software company, make sure you ask what the strength of the business is and what all the domains they work in. The size of the company reflects how well the company is performing and how many projects in the given time frame they will finish.
Companies with specialists in diverse fields have the opportunity to work through the various stacks of technology. Make sure to ask where the team is based and how they connect with each other so they can work in different time zones. It will benefit you to know whether or not they would be able to operate or function according to your time zone.
How are you going to contact them or who would be the point of contact in such situations if the developers are not available in the same time zone?
You need to know who the leaders are and whether they have any professional expertise or not, when having brief details about the team. To identify their ability, visit their LinkedIn profile or other professional networks to consider their work experience as well as the experience of the customer.
The development process?
Since there are a wide variety of development methods available, you need to make sure that the developers follow the development process. If a business addresses development strategies such as agile, scrum, or extreme programming, then you are most likely working with a development company that operates on the latest technology.Tools they use?
You should also ask about the tools the organization is using to handle projects in addition to the production process. Many project management tools are available that can be used to monitor the progress of projects.
In order to monitor the progress of projects and also the developers or other team members, reputed software development companies typically use enterprise-grade project management tools such as Confluence, JIRA, Slack, or Pivotal Tracker.In-house team or out-sourced team?
Software developers often have to conform to off-shore production in order to deal with price tension. If offshore developers are hired in the construction process, quality issues may be made.The potential for blockchain solutions
The company should have the expertise in many technology stacks as you are looking for a blockchain development company to develop a blockchain-based platform.
Technology stacks such as smart contracts, cloud, IOS, WebApps, Dapps, Etc.
Blockchain Portfolio
Although most companies started working on blockchain just a few years ago. They must have a portfolio, even if it is a small one. So you should be sure if they have really worked on a public blockchain or an authorized blockchain? A blockchain portfolio is a must if you're looking for a blockchain developer.End-to-End developers or not?
Don't forget to confirm whether or not the company is an end-to-end service provider. From product consultation to design, production, implementation, maintenance, support and growth hack services, a company can give you the best-in-class development services. So when you look for a blockchain developer, you must first become a technology expert. Visit the forums on which good blockchain developers share trends and technologies.