Learning to program on the blockchain?

[Skrodk]

So, I have absolutely no programming experience.

But I find the blockchain technology incredibly exciting, and I would like to learn at least how to use it to a certain extend, I realize im not going to become an expert overnight, but where do i start?

[1714026964]

1714026964

[aleksej996]

You should probably start by getting some programing experience. I guess you could learn about C first a bit. You can't really understand blockchain that well if you don't know what are linked lists and some cryptography about hashes and public keys. You need to know about assembly language a bit, to understand stacks if you wish to understand Bitcoin transactions in detail, since they are like little programs on their own (scripts to be exact).

Read some beginner books about C programing. Then read up a bit about hashes and public key cryptography. Then maybe you will need some about assembly language to understand it low level. Then the Bitcoin whitepaper I guess. And so own. But start with programing.

[buddabudda]

Java or C++ are great languages to start getting to the principles of Object Oriented Programming.

[ebtnym]

This might help.
https://medium.com/crypto-currently/lets-build-the-tiniest-blockchain-e70965a248b
Covers blockchain basics and, as a bonus, it's written in Python. So if you have zero programming experience it should lessen the pain a little bit.

[Skrodk]

You should probably start by getting some programing experience. I guess you could learn about C first a bit. You can't really understand blockchain that well if you don't know what are linked lists and some cryptography about hashes and public keys. You need to know about assembly language a bit, to understand stacks if you wish to understand Bitcoin transactions in detail, since they are like little programs on their own (scripts to be exact).

Read some beginner books about C programing. Then read up a bit about hashes and public key cryptography. Then maybe you will need some about assembly language to understand it low level. Then the Bitcoin whitepaper I guess. And so own. But start with programing.

How long would you think I have to devote to it, til I have an acceptable understanding?

[aleksej996]

You should probably start by getting some programing experience. I guess you could learn about C first a bit. You can't really understand blockchain that well if you don't know what are linked lists and some cryptography about hashes and public keys. You need to know about assembly language a bit, to understand stacks if you wish to understand Bitcoin transactions in detail, since they are like little programs on their own (scripts to be exact).

Read some beginner books about C programing. Then read up a bit about hashes and public key cryptography. Then maybe you will need some about assembly language to understand it low level. Then the Bitcoin whitepaper I guess. And so own. But start with programing.

How long would you think I have to devote to it, til I have an acceptable understanding?

We are talking about maybe 3 books worth of reading with understanding. It would be hard for me to estimate it in hours, but if you spend maybe an hour everyday on average, you could probably understand the basics of programing in a year. So it depends on how much of your time you set aside for it, but I think in that at some pace it is possible to do it in under a year. There is no hurry and this knowledge is useful in the long run as well, since it is basics. But as anything in life, if you are not interested in it, programing and computers I mean, then it will be a waste of your time. Don't even try if you can't see yourself as a possible programmer one day, it takes too much time for something you won't go after in your life. A year of someone's life in not little, you probably have less then 100 of them left. So if you have a passion to understand computers, go ahead, if you are here just for quick cash, don't bother.

[bibyte]

I always choose C++

[pebwindkraft]

We need more programmers in this exciting crypto currency world - welcome!
There is a common understanding, that you need to have 5000 working hours to become an expert.
And in crypto currency world, it is not only about programming, also you need to understand the eco system and the security - it's all about money, right ? 
 
On programming: no matter what language you go, I recommend a short training course. There are many, many courses (coursera, udemy, ...) online, or you go to your local school and verify opportunities. It makes sense to have people to exchange with, that makes learning easier.

On crypt currencies: professionals usually start with reading before coding. This would bring you immedeatly to bitcoin.org, to understand the eco system.
Then you could read probably the online book (or buy it) from Andreas: "Mastering Bitcoin", here: http://chimera.labs.oreilly.com/books/1234000001802/ It is available in many languages.
Also there is the very good post from Ken: http://www.righto.com/2014/02/bitcoins-hard-way-using-raw-bitcoin.html
On youtube you find Bitcoin 101, which explains alot.

[thealex12]

It is actually not that difficult to be experienced in the blockchain. One month of checking news and informing and you'll know more than a lot of others. If you want to do something for the blockchain in the programming direction, then you should learn solidity. Solidity is the most used code language for programming smart contracts. Good Luck!!

[bitbollo]

This might help.
https://medium.com/crypto-currently/lets-build-the-tiniest-blockchain-e70965a248b
Covers blockchain basics and, as a bonus, it's written in Python. So if you have zero programming experience it should lessen the pain a little bit.

Hi thank you for sharing this link. Did you have programmed your blockchain from this guide?

I need some libraries in my mac air, or I can just use the normal python one's?
Of course, I am not programmer, but I have good technical skills, because I have learned some basic uses of some languages.

Hi pebwindkraft in which section Andreas Antonopoulos explain how to program on the blockchain?

[DimaPechka]

Lear Java, it is the best way to strart

[genesis.vision]

Best library I've used so far is bitcoinj, it allows to query blockchain info you need without downloading it. There are implementations for Java, but if you have no programming experience it would be best to start with the basics (e.g. learn structure and algorithms of programming languages).

[achow101]

Best library I've used so far is bitcoinj, it allows to query blockchain info you need without downloading it.

That's not true. It still has to download part of the blockchain and there is still a lot of info that you cannot get from it without downloading the entire blockchain. For example, you cannot use bitcoinj to find an arbitrary transaction in the blockchain since it does not have that data and it can't ask for that from a node.

[malboroman]

It's better to start from some educational videos on YouTube and then go deeper into the articles/educational cources.

[llzzyy234]

If you want start quickly, I would not recommend C++, since too many bumps. You could start from java.

[EADG]

What makes Java easier?  I've heard that I should try it.  I haven't programmed for a very long time, and am part of the generation that was ruined by BASIC.  OOP blows my mind still lol

[GetFreeCoins]

Java or C++ are great languages to start getting to the principles of Object Oriented Programming.

but what if I dont want to learn programming?

[achow101]

but what if I dont want to learn programming?

Then you can't do anything with "program on the blockchain" (which, by the way, is completely meaningless because you don't program on a blockchain).

[AdisBegic]

Hi,
I just had friend like you who I helped to become familiar with Ethereum development. I would suggest that you go through the freecodecamp.com site up till intermediate frontend projects so you understand the basics of HTML, CSS, Bootstrap and Javascript. Once you've done this, go to udemy and pick up a great course on NodeJs to gain some knowledge on backend development and especially the unittesting area. This will put you up for a great start into blockchain development as you will be able to dive head first into solidity easier (syntax pretty similar to javascript) and also be able to write test cases to your solidity code. Once, you feel comfortable with the high level languages, you can dive into the EVM and bytecode stuff to really master your craft! I wish you a happy learning adventure and greet you welcome to the best developer community in the world If you need any type of guidance, feel free to PM me.

[aretebit]

What makes Java easier?  I've heard that I should try it.  I haven't programmed for a very long time, and am part of the generation that was ruined by BASIC.  OOP blows my mind still lol

Java SE is basically C++ but without some things that may produce errors for inexpert programmers like pointers, and with a exception handling system that avoids mistakes for you.

But for enterprise applications Java EE is much more complex than solutions with .Net C#.