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NFT Developer Hiring Guide: All You Need to Know.
By Ng-dev//

Non-Fungible Tokens, commonly known as NFTs, have taken the world by storm in recent years. NFTs are digital assets that are unique, verifiable, and secure, making them ideal for the ownership of digital art, music, videos, and other forms of digital content. As the use of NFTs continues to grow, so does the demand for NFT developers. In this article, we will discuss all you need to know about hiring an NFT developer.

First of all, what is an NFT?

An NFT is a unique type of digital token that cannot be exchanged for an equivalent unit, making it non-fungible. Unlike cryptocurrencies and cash, NFTs are indivisible and non-interoperable, meaning they cannot be divided into smaller denominations or traded for other tokens. Each NFT is a unique item, and ownership is verified through blockchain ledgers, ensuring its authenticity. NFTs can be traded and resold, making them a profitable asset, that’s why, before hiring NFT developers, it is crucial to know which blockchain platforms are ideal for NFT development.

What is an NFT Developer?

An NFT developer is a software engineer or developer with expertise in creating and deploying NFTs on blockchain platforms. They must possess a strong understanding of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and NFT standards like ERC-721, ERC-1155, and others. In addition, they must have experience working with blockchain networks like Ethereum, Polkadot, Binance Smart Chain, and others.

  • Roles and Responsibilities of an NFT Developer

An NFT developer is responsible for developing and deploying NFTs on blockchain platforms. Their roles and responsibilities include the following:

  • NFT Design and Development: NFT developers design and develop NFTs according to client requirements. They must have experience working with various NFT standards and blockchain networks.

  • Smart Contract Development: NFT developers create and deploy smart contracts that enable the creation and transfer of NFTs on blockchain platforms. They must be proficient in smart contract development languages like Solidity.

  • Blockchain Integration: NFT developers integrate NFTs with blockchain platforms and ensure they are secure and transparent.

  • Tokenization: NFT developers tokenize assets like art, music, and videos, converting them into NFTs that can be traded on blockchain platforms.

  • NFT Marketplace Development: NFT developers design and develop NFT marketplaces where users can buy, sell, and trade NFTs.

Skills Required for an NFT Developer:

To become an NFT developer, you must possess the following skills:

  • Blockchain Technology: NFT developers must have a strong understanding of blockchain technology and how it works.
  • Smart Contract Development: NFT developers must be proficient in smart contract development languages like Solidity.
  • NFT Standards: NFT developers must have knowledge of NFT standards like ERC-721, ERC-1155, and others.
  • Web3.js: NFT developers must be proficient in Web3.js, a JavaScript library for interacting with Ethereum blockchain.
  • API Development: NFT developers must have experience in developing APIs for integrating NFTs with third-party applications.
  • Web Development: NFT developers must have experience in web development technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and others.
  • Cryptography: NFT developers must have knowledge of cryptography, which is essential for securing NFTs on blockchain platforms.
  • UX/UI Design: NFT developers must have experience in UX/UI design, which is essential for designing user-friendly NFT marketplaces.

Top NFT Development platforms:

Ethereum is the most popular blockchain platform for NFT development, with many of the top NFT marketplaces and collections built on it. It offers a robust smart contract system that allows developers to create and deploy custom tokens quickly. The most commonly used NFT standards on Ethereum are ERC-721 and ERC-1155.

  • Skills needed to work with Ethereum:

-Strong understanding of Solidity, Ethereum’s smart contract programming language.

-Knowledge of web3.js, a JavaScript library used to interact with Ethereum blockchain.

-Familiarity with the Truffle Suite, a development framework for Ethereum-based dApps.

-Understanding of Ethereum gas fees and how to optimize smart contracts for cost efficiency.

  • Binance Smart Chain (BSC):

Binance Smart Chain is a popular alternative to Ethereum for NFT development. It offers faster transaction speeds and lower gas fees, making it a more cost-effective option. BSC supports the same NFT standards as Ethereum, including ERC-721 and ERC-1155.

  • Skills needed to work with Binance Smart Chain:

-Proficiency in Solidity or Vyper, Binance Smart Chain’s smart contract programming languages.

-Familiarity with the Binance Chain ecosystem and tools, such as the Binance Smart Chain Wallet.

-Knowledge of the PancakeSwap exchange, a popular platform for trading BSC-based tokens.

-Understanding of the BEP-20 token standard, which is used for creating tokens on BSC.

Flow is a blockchain platform designed specifically for NFTs and other digital collectibles. It was created by Dapper Labs, the team behind the popular NBA Top Shot NFT collection. Flow offers a user-friendly developer experience and supports custom smart contracts written in Cadence, a new programming language created specifically for Flow.

  • Skills needed to work with Flow:

-Understanding of Cadence, Flow’s programming language. 

-Familiarity with the Flow Emulator, which allows developers to test smart contracts locally.

-Knowledge of Flow’s unique architecture and data storage model.

-Familiarity with the Flow Playground, a web-based IDE for developing Flow smart contracts.

Solana has quickly become a competitor for Cardano and Ethereum since it is a comparatively faster programmable blockchain. The blockchain has hundreds of projects, including Web3, DeFi, and NFTs.

The platform can execute 65,000 transactions every second, which makes it a highly attractive blockchain due to fast order execution.

Solana’s minting program — Candy Machine — allows NFT developers to focus on their artwork rather than writing new smart contracts. The program provides support across the ecosystem and lets developers customize the program accordingly.

The Solana ecosystem gives developers access to DAOs, artist collectives, marketplaces, and rationalization tools. Launchpad on Solana is a product from Magic Eden that lets creators mint collections even with little technical knowledge.

Solsea, the NFT marketplace on Solana, is so popular that Coachella 7Music Festival struck a deal with FTX to launch Solana NFTs.

Here are the tech skills NFT developers need to use Solana for minting:

  • C, C++: Expertise in C and C++ is a prerequisite for the Solana platform since writing on-chain programs is done using C and C++.
  • Rust: Rust is an intermediate programming language that enables developers to develop applications and libraries on top of it. The developer must be familiar with data structures, object-oriented programming, and other common constructs of a typical general-purpose language such as package manager, build systems, testing frameworks, etc.

Where to Find NFT Developers

Finding an NFT developer can be challenging, given the high demand for their services. However, here are some ways to find NFT developers:

  • Freelance Platforms: You can find NFT developers on freelance platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr.
  • Social Media: You can use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to find NFT developers.
  • Online Communities: You can join online communities like Discord, Reddit, and Telegram, where NFT developers hang out.
  • NFT Marketplaces: You can find NFT developers on NFT marketplaces like OpenSea, Rarible, and SuperRare.
  • Blockchain Development Firms: You can hire blockchain development firms that have experience in developing NFTs

In conclusion, as the use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) continues to gain popularity, the demand for NFT developers is on the rise. It is important to choose the ideal blockchain platform for NFT development, such as Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Flow, and Solana. Each platform has its own unique features and standards, and developers must have the necessary skills and expertise to work with them. NFT developers are responsible for designing and developing NFTs, creating and deploying smart contracts, integrating NFTs with blockchain platforms, and tokenizing assets. As the world continues to shift towards digital assets and ownership, the role of NFT developers will only become more critical.