Blockchain is one of the most revolutionary technologies in today’s tech space. It has transformed businesses and is touted as the main component of the fourth industrial revolution. It is the first permanent, decentralized ledger of records that has revolutionized the system of records.
Using blockchain for developing applications can be a little intimidating for developers at first. However, with the growing number of developers coming on board in the blockchain domain, there is a significantly higher need for efficient tools.
Here are a few of the best tools that blockchain developers can utilize enjoying support scalability, flexibility and provide ample of functionalities that are crucial to blockchain development.
These tools can be loaded on a laptop or computer running Linux or Windows. So you don’t need to worry about any other prerequisites or mandatory programs that you might need to use these tools.
Geth
Geth is an implementation of an Ethereum node. In simple language, it is a program that functions as Ethereum blockchain node. It acts as a medium which accepts input commands to execute definite functions.
If there are no default values set, Geth will automatically connect to the Ethereum mainnet. It is available on platforms such as Linux, Mac and Windows. Since Geth downloads entire Ethreum blockchain automatically, using an external hard drive is advised.
Geth uses the Go programming language and allows the user to do the following:
- Transfer tokens between addresses
- Creation and execution of smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine
- Explores the block history
Mist
Before starting with Ehtereum, it is important to use and understand Mist as it is used for the execution of smart contracts. Creators of Ethereum developed an Ethereum wallet which is now known as Mist. It is a full node wallet which is implied to store ether tokens. It is available for Linux (32- and 64-bit), Windows (both 32- and 64-bit) and Mac. To use Mist, one has to download the 1 Tera Byte size of entire Ehtererum blockchain.
Once it is downloaded, the software syncs up with the latest Ethereum blockchain. Following the sync, you will be asked if you want to continue on the main blockchain or test blockchain. Then, you will be prompted to choose a password. Make sure that you set a strong password as it can not be changed once it is created. Every time you want to send Ether, you will be asked for your password. So don’t forget it and refrain from sharing it with anyone unless required.
Solidity
Solidity is used to write smart contracts and Ethereum based apps. It is an object-oriented programming language that is slimmed down, a loosely-typed programming language with a JavaScript-like syntax.
It is a slimmed-down, loosely-typed programming language with a syntax similar to that of JavaScript. However, there needs to be an intermediate medium to convert solidity script to a format that can be easily read by Ethereum Virtual Machine. This is where a solidity compiler or “solc” comes in.
There are two types of solidity compilers:
- Solc, which is coded in C++
- Solc-js, which uses Emscripten to cross-compile from the source code of solc C++ to JavaScript.
Built from similar source code, they tend to give slightly different results from each other. Solc-js is slower as compared to Solc. They also have different line interfaces.
Parity
After compilation, to deploy contracts on the Ethereum blockchain a development environment needs to be set first. Parity is used as an Ethereum client which is needed to complete the task. It was founded by Gavin Wood, the former Ethereum CEO. Written in the Rust programming language, Parity is directly embedded into a web browser.
Parity gives access to basic wallet functions and ethers. It is a secure way to interact with the blockchain. It enables access to all the Ethereum network characteristics that make it a GUI browser for Ethereum.
Truffle
Truffle is a great development suite for smart contracts and asset pipelines. It offers support for the library that links complex Ethereum apps and allows developers to make decentralized applications in a much quicker and easier manner. It promotes custom developments to build new contracts that meet the requirements of the developer.
Truffle enables developers to run automated tests using tools like Chai and Mocha. It is a framework that helps in performing scriptable deployments and migrations. Some of the most important features of Truffle are:
- Supports custom build processes and allows developers to configure build pipeline.
- Offers network management for deploying to private and public networks.
- Has an Interactive console feature for direct contract communication.
- Smart contract compilation, deployment, linking and binary management built in.
- The instant rebuilding of assets during development.
Blockchain technology has great potential and a bright future with ample of high-paying job opportunities and business ideas. What was initially created as a means to power a decentralized payment network has now transfigured into a decentralized supercomputer network that enables developers from all around the world to come and create their personalized software applications.
These tools are some of the most reliable, convenient and easy to use tools in blockchain development. They will help you in your development journey and make it simpler for you to build applications that meet your end goals.