I think Bitcoin has been growing in popularity since it began, but we first saw mainstream interest in 2013...then interest waned in the wake of the Mt. Gox disaster. Since then, I think the platform and tooling has matured. You've got exchanges like Coinbase that have developed methods of securely storing Bitcoin and have at the same time made it easy for the average person to link to their bank accounts.

I am really excited to venture out into Bitcoin. I just want to have the proper knowledge in doing it. Thanks a lot guys.
How much bitcoin will I need to start? How much will I earn?

The fees go to the miners to incentivise them to keep mining, which in turn keeps the Bitcoin network secure. They already get a reward of 12.5 XBT for each block they mine, but this reward halves every 4 years. The plan is that as the block reward diminishes over the time, it will be replaced by transaction fees.

The number of transactions on the Bitcoin network has steadily increased over the years. This means more blocks are filling up. And as not all transactions can be included in the blockchain straight away. If you want to have your transaction confirmed faster, the obvious solution is to include a higher fee.

How much would it cost if I were to build one? What software should I use? Thanks.
My friend and I are planning on building one.

I would like to know if it is safe to put my wallet address in websites asking for it.
I am really excited to start my own Bitcoin journey.