In this article I will be listing out the online resources that are available to help you get started in Blockchain Domain.
List of Resources:
- Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Bootcamp on Udemy : This course helps in understanding the basic theory of Bitcoin Blockchain and its underlying Cryptography. It also covers basics of Ethereum Blockchain.
- Blockchain A-Z™: Learn How To Build Your First Blockchain on Udemy : This course should be taken after completing the course listed above. In this course, you will get to develop three projects. In the first project you will develop a Blockchain. A cryptocurrency will be deployed on this blockchain in the second project. Third project deals with an ICO being setup on this cryptocurrency.
- Ethereum and Solidity: The Complete Developer’s Guide on Udemy : This course takes a deep dive into Ethereum Blockchain and Solidity Programming language. In this course, you will learn how to develop full stack decentralized application .
- Blockchain Essentials from Cognitive Class : This free course provided by IBM serves as a introduction to Hyperledger and Private Blockchains.
- IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer from Cognitive Class : This free course by IBM will help you understand applications development in Hyperledger Framework.
- Blockchain Specialization offered by University at Buffalo & The State University of New York on Coursera : This is the only specialization offered by an American University online. It consists of four courses that covers Blockchain, Smart contracts, Decentralized Application Development and various Blockchain Platforms. This specialization can be audited for free.
- Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies offered by Princeton University on Coursera : This free course by Princeton University is a very good introduction to Bitcoin and how it works under the hood. You will also learn about Altcoins and its ecosystem.
- Blockchain: Foundations and Use Cases offered by Consensys Academy on Coursera : This course is to be done for understanding the various Use Cases of Blockchain. It also takes a deep dive into Ethereum Blockchain and its applications. You can audit this course for free.
- FinTech Law and Policy offered by Duke University on Coursera : You must take this course to understand the main laws governing the regulations of Cryptocurrencies in USA. This knowledge will help you a lot to decide the design specifications of a Cryptocurrency. You can audit this course for free.
- Blockchain Fundamentals offered by University of California, Berkeley on Edx : This professional certificate program on Edx covers Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technology. Though some content might be redundant with respect to the above courses but you can audit this course for free and use it to revise your concepts.
- Curated list of research papers on Blockchain on GitHub : This Repository on GitHub is very valuable for researchers and students trying to understand the Blockchain Technology at its core. It will help you come with an idea for a new product or a research area.
- Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies Is Changing the World by Don Tapscott and Alex Tapscott : I would recommend this book so that you can get new ideas on how you can implement Blockchain to solve a problem. Personally, I have published this article on Hackernoon by reading this book(Thanks!). Make sure you buy the latest edition.
- The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust by Kevin Werbach : Authored by Wharton’s professor this book is a necessary read to understand Blockchain. Demystify Blockchain Now!
Further Steps
After completing the above courses you will have a good idea of fundamentals of Blockchain Development and Decentralized Application development. For more exposure, check out a few Blockchain projects on Github and see which project catches your attention.
With a field that is rapidly developing it is also very important to stay updated with the latest trends, protocols and products that have incorporated this technology. In order to stay current, you should read articles published on popular blogs like Hackernoon.
The following quote was my inspiration for writing this article :
“Blockchains will replace networks with markets.”~Naval Ravikant
This list will be updated with new courses as and when they are released.
Update 1 : Added resource number 12.
Update 2 : Added resource number 13.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email. You can also contact me via Linkedin. You can also follow me on Twitter.