1. Specific tools 🛠️
Node.js & npm → Ethereum tooling is heavily JavaScript/TypeScript-based. You’ll need Node.js to run build scripts, deploy contracts, and work with libraries like Hardhat or Foundry.
Hardhat or Foundry → These are your “local blockchain labs.”
- Hardhat: Easy to get started with, integrates tightly with ethers.js, lots of plugins for testing, debugging, and deploying.
- Foundry: Fast, Rust-based, loved by power users for its speed and solidity-native testing.
Metamask → Your go-to wallet for signing transactions in dev and test environments. Learn how to add testnets, manage multiple accounts, and export/import private keys.
2. Languages
Solidity → The main smart contract language for Ethereum. Learn it well enough to read other people’s contracts — most dApp features are combinations of existing standards (ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155) with your own logic.
JavaScript / TypeScript → Essential for connecting your contracts to a frontend. Libraries like ethers.js or viem will let you read/write blockchain data from your app. TypeScript is preferred in production — you’ll appreciate the type safety when your dApp scales.
3. Understand the Key Principles
Gas → Every transaction has a cost. Poorly optimized code = higher fees. Learn gas patterns early (e.g., mapping vs. array lookups).
Testnets → You can (and should) deploy to free Ethereum testnets like Sepolia or Holesky before touching mainnet. They mimic mainnet behavior without risking real ETH.
Events → These are your contract’s “print statements” — log data you want your frontend to react to.
Security First → Ethereum contracts are immutable once deployed. Bugs can’t be patched easily. Always test, audit, and use battle-tested libraries like OpenZeppelin.
4. Workflow of an Ethereum Developer
1️⃣ Write your contract in Solidity
2️⃣ Compile & test locally with Hardhat or Foundry
3️⃣ Deploy to a testnet (via ethers.js scripts or CLI tools)
4️⃣ Connect it to a frontend (React + ethers.js)
5️⃣ Test with real user flows before mainnet deployment
💡 Pro Tip
Don’t try to build “the next big protocol” on day one. Start small — clone an ERC-20, add one new function, deploy, and interact with it. The fastest way to learn Ethereum dev is by modifying existing working code.