Programming Languages for Web3

If you’ve been anywhere near the Internet during the past few months, you can’t escape someone mentioning Web3 or the Metaverse. Some people love it, some people hate it, and some people don’t understand it. Sometimes the latter is a combination of all of those.

There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re on the verge of a massive change to how the Web works. The change is coming, and it’s coming at breakneck speed. There are companies and people going into frenzies over all of this, ridiculous amounts of money is being thrown around. It reminds me of the old “Wild West” days of the Dot Com Boom, and while I don’t agree with the sleepless nights mentality that some people are currently subscribing to), I do love what I am seeing overall.

Now, this all being said – there’s not a lot of competition yet. Web 3.0 is in its infancy and we’re only touching the surface so far. Whether you’re currently a developer or it’s something that you want to do – now is the perfect time to start learning skills that will get you a job making stupid money.

Companies, new and old, are hiring already for engineers and developers and will continue doing so in larger and larger quantities as the next few years go by. So while you DO have time, don’t let it pass you by. Don’t rush in if you’re new to programming, but take your time and learn the skills that you need well – but I would suggest starting now.

There are going to be numerous skillsets needed in Web3, but I’m only going to be talking about programming languages today. So, let’s jump right in. Below, you’ll find a list of what I believe to be the smart choices for programming languages for the Web3 revolution.

JavaScript

Javascript is a programming language that extremely versatile. It’s been around forever, and it’s gotten a lot of hate over the years. It almost seemed like it was just slapped together one day back in the Jurassic Era of the Web, but no one can deny that it’s super resilient and has managed to make it to the big leagues.

Javascript is incredibly versatile and can be used for nearly anything from client-side to server-side. It can be used for things such as making Web pages interactive, to building Web servers, creating server apps, creating Web and mobile apps – and even games (Hello, Phaser.js!).

All of that being said, you can build on the blockchain (and build your own blockchain) with Javascript. Using libraries such as Web3.js and Ether.js will net you some serious paychecks.

Solidity

Solidity is a relatively new programming language that was developed by Ethereum that’s used for writing smart contracts on different blockchain platforms. One of them of course being Ethereum, so it’s kind of a big deal.

This programming language was designed around the ECMAScript syntax and you may find it similar to languages such as C++, Python, and JavaScript. This was on purpose to make it a little easier on the brain for Web developers (I’m pretty sure, anyway.)

If you want to get into Web3, Solidity is used a LOT – so if you want to make yourself useful, do not ignore this one. Full stop.

Rust

The Rust programming language was recently voted “The Most Loved Programming Language”, so that has to say something. I admit, I had not heard much about Rust until somewhat recently, even though it’s been around for quite awhile. Originally developed by an employee of one of my favorite companies, Mozilla – so that’s pretty cool. While I don’t know Rust, it looks to be a very solid programming language with a lot of benefits.

So while I mentioned earlier that Solidity is huge – it won’t work if you want to build on Solana (One of my favorites!). You’ll have to use something else to build smart contract; Rust.

Ethereum is huge, but Solana is set to explode – so if you want to make yourself super valuable, don’t ignore them.

Python

Enter one of my favorite and oldest programming languages on my list; Python. Python isn’t ancient, but it has been around for a long time – and it’s fairly easy to learn. It can be used for a lot so if you decide that Web3 isn’t for you but you’ve learned Python, you’ll still have a job somewhere. (Same goes for JavaScript but let’s not get sidetracked).

I mention Python because of Algorand and Tezos. Algorand is a blockchain based crypto platform that’s pretty darn big. You’ll also need to know Python to write smart contracts on Algorand. While Tezos isn’t as big, I have a feeling it’s going to continue growing more and more – so either way, Python is an incredibly solid choice for a programming language for Web3.

Conclusion

So all of the above being said, these aren’t the only options for Web3 programming languages. I know this is a high level overview, but this is my way of learning more about these things – and I am doing my best to pass what knowledge I learn onto others. My goal is to at least introduce these programming languages and blockchains to folks right now. I plan to go more indepth with all of the above topics as I can so we can learn more together.

If you want to get started in the Web3 space, these programming languages are without a doubt the best ways into it.

Let me know what you think! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.