Want to earn $10,000 a month or more? Here's your Web3 developer guide

Author: Ronin

Translation: AididiaoJP, Foresight News

Web3 developers not only need programming skills but also the ability to simplify life or improve work efficiency through coding. In the crypto space, with specific programming skills and accumulated practical experience, you can gain:

• High-paying positions at companies

• Automate critical tasks or track large volumes of data

• Understand product development technologies

We often see developers earning substantial incomes—typically ranging from six to eight figures—by creating bots or other software.

This article will guide you on how to start learning Web3 development and the programming languages you need to know.

Learning programming through practice, coupled with the right opportunities, will help you achieve your goals faster than others.

I've been passionate about programming since childhood, initially to explore technology and develop critical thinking, later using it as a tool toward larger objectives.

Let’s begin now.

What is a Web3 Developer and Why Learn Web3 Development?

Web3 developers handle everything from smart contracts to backend and frontend development. They understand how to automate specific processes and typically possess strong problem-solving abilities.

Key reasons to learn Web3 development include:

• Set up automation and solve various types of problems

• Audit, use, or modify existing software

• Participate in or build projects for high income

• Work as a white-hat hacker, find vulnerabilities, and profit from them

For me personally, I learned Web3 development for personal growth and building my own products. But I want to emphasize:

To stand out in the Web3 industry, you must understand its technological and economic principles, which are embedded into developers’ daily work via smart contracts or rollups.

Despite the highly speculative nature of the crypto market, developers continue actively building and earning high salaries.

Due to their relatively low numbers, competition among Web3 developers is lower compared to traditional industries, resulting in more job opportunities.

Next, let’s dive into salary expectations for Web3 developers.

Web3 Developer Salaries

Developers proficient in backend development and Solidity (or Rust) typically earn between $5,000 and $20,000 per month. This range serves as a benchmark if you join a mid-sized project without holding a management role.

A friend of mine freelances on Twitter offering automated audit services and sometimes earns up to $50,000 a month—an inspiring reference case.

Using ChatGPT, I found that the highest bounty awarded to a white-hat hacker was around $10 million. In 2022, Wormhole paid approximately $10 million to a white-hat hacker for identifying a critical vulnerability. Often, such security flaws cannot be valued purely in monetary terms—the time saved is invaluable.

By using various software tools, I save 5–7 hours every day. Mastering programming and software skills greatly enhances work efficiency and saves time.

Moreover, most useful Web3 applications lack clear user interfaces, making it crucial to understand how to launch and improve them.

Which Programming Languages Should You Learn?

In the Web3 industry, programming languages are a vital part of the job. Different tasks may require different languages, so understanding each one's purpose is essential:

Python

Python is the best programming language for creating automation programs

Its use cases in Web3:

• Ideal for writing automation scripts (airdrop scripts, MEV monitoring, other tasks)

• Used as dApp backend (except dApps built with FastAPI or Django)

• Great for data science (e.g., collecting statistics from dApps)

Why it’s your best choice right now?

• Easy to get started—among the simplest programming languages for me

• Vast learning resources available (YouTube, forums, other platforms)

• Abundant ready-made Web3 libraries that simplify software development

Overall, Python is ideal for learning how to automate daily tasks or collect basic data.

Basic Backend and Frontend Skills (HTML, CSS, JS)

These are fundamental requirements for any project because UI forms the first impression users have of a project.

Even if you understand all the details of smart contracts or backend logic, it's still insufficient—frontend elements like wallet signing are directly involved.

JavaScript plays the most important role here and must be mastered, while HTML and CSS usually require only basic knowledge.

Use cases in Web3:

1. Understanding website structure and properties to integrate wallet signing or other Web3 tools

2. Testing content built by the backend

Solidity

Solidity is one of the primary development languages in the Web3 industry—nearly all smart contracts are built with it.

It could be considered the "origin" of Ethereum smart contracts.

Its use cases in Web3:

• Used on Ethereum L1 and almost all EVM-compatible L2s (ARB, OP, Base, etc.)

• Also used to build L3 solutions

• Fundamentally related to nearly all DeFi and NFT projects

It’s the most valuable language in Web3, yet comes with challenges. One major issue is its steep learning curve and high-risk nature—forgetting to write just one function could expose an entire protocol to risk, potentially causing millions of dollars in losses to liquidity pools. The upside? Solidity developers command very high salaries.

Rust

Almost all blockchains incompatible with EVM require Rust.

Its use cases in Web3:

• Building projects on Solana, Cosmos, Near, Polkadot, etc.

• Used by snipers and MEV operators

Overall, it’s a powerful programming language, but learning resources are even scarcer than those for Solidity. In this case, your best study materials will be ChatGPT and official documentation.

How to Get Started: An Efficient Path from Zero

I started with Python and JavaScript—they were sacred fundamentals before I entered the Web3 industry.

They provided a solid foundation for understanding key concepts and how code works, after which I moved on to other programming languages.

I worked with ChatGPT to create a launch plan for taking the first steps:

Learn Programming Fundamentals

Goal: Get comfortable with syntax and programming logic

Best resources:

• "Python for Everybody" on Coursera:

• https://www.coursera.org/specializations/python

• CodeAcademy "Learn JavaScript":

• https://www.codecademy.com/learn/introduction-to-javascript

Apply knowledge and practice:

• Use

• https://www.codewars.com/

• To practice and reinforce

• Use

• https://leetcode.com/

• For similar purposes

Daily practice of 30–60 minutes will lay a solid foundation, enabling you to start writing specific software with AI assistance afterward.

Learn Basic Web Frontend

Goal: Understand how pages are built and how scripts run.

Best resources:

• Complete web design certification:

• https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/freecodecamp-certifications

• Review all materials

• CodeAcademy "HTML and CSS":

• https://www.codecademy.com/catalog/language/html-css

Apply knowledge and practice:

• Create a simple single-page landing site for a fictional product

• Try implementing as many features as possible, then connect them together in practice

Understand What Blockchain Is and How It Works

Goal: Grasp Web3 fundamentals without writing code.

Best resources:

• Ethereum documentation:

• https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/

• Book: “How to DeFi” (excellent for understanding DeFi)

Apply knowledge and practice:

• Spend time exploring Etherscan or similar explorers to understand how blockchains work and their underlying logic.

• Interact more with dApps to understand how they operate and what happens on the backend.

Introduction to Solidity and Practical Experience

Goal: Write, deploy, and interact with ERC-20 tokens

Best resources:

• Book: Solidity in Foundry

• https://www.solidity-in-foundry.com/

• Study most of the material

• https://updraft.cyfrin.io/courses

• Learn via Patrick Collins' videos:

• https://www.youtube.com/@PatrickAlphaC/videos

• Learn by doing:

• https://cryptozombies.io/

Security and Testing

Your next task is to dive deeper and keep testing.

Only practice brings real results—in Web3 coding there are no shortcuts, just as in life.

Read various blogs about Web3 coding and stay curious.

Most importantly, always check code security.

Examine every line of code on the webpage—this is absolutely critical.

Be sure to apply this knowledge to your own practice.

Start automating—make coding part of your daily routine.

Once you’re in, you can try development in almost any domain.

AI also helps significantly here—I’ll share how to use AI to boost learning and productivity.

Start learning and building—over time, you will surely succeed.

How to Use AI in Learning?

AI is the best tool for optimizing and accelerating Web3 coding education.

I frequently use ChatGPT, though other AI tools can perform equally or even better.

Problems I solve with AI:

• Request explanations on complex topics

• Ask for code examples to solve specific issues

• Check code for bugs or errors

• Always turn to AI when I can’t find a solution

• Ask what else I should learn to solve problems faster

If you learn alone without interaction or improvement pathways, difficulties multiply.

Now, when facing unsolvable problems, you can simply use ChatGPT to generate clear steps to help solve them—not solve them for you.

If AI keeps writing code for you, you won’t understand the structure or mechanics behind these functions.

Combining the learning platforms I shared, consistent practice, and using AI to address your own challenges is one of the most effective ways to achieve results and become a top-tier talent.

How to Find Your First Job: “Beginner’s Checklist”

If your goal is to become a developer, this is the best way to understand what you need to learn.

All you need to do is find a junior position on Web3.career or crypto.jobs.

Then, review the job requirements and reflect on what else you need to learn.

Example list for a junior Web3 developer role:

• Understand Solidity and write smart contracts

• Know JavaScript/TypeScript, React

• Familiar with Hardhat / token creation

• Understand ERC standards (ERC-20, ERC-721)

• Understand blockchain basics (transactions, gas, DeFi)

• Ability to use Git and GitHub

Write down everything listed in the job posting and check off each item.

Then, use AI to simulate HR interview flows and generate typical interview questions.

This allows you to stress-test potential questions and prepare answers ahead of interviews.

TL;DR

When the market is dull, the best move is to cultivate income-generating skills.

We’re in a high-risk field—objectively speaking, those without stable income rarely achieve final success.

Because they can't fully seize opportunities when they arise.

Becoming a Web3 developer is one of the best choices.

Using programming—and truly understanding what it enables—gives you an edge.

Most importantly, you can earn substantial salaries and have the capability to build your own projects.

Take me as an example—I was a builder. To scale my business several or even dozens of times larger, relying solely on my original strategy would’ve been nearly impossible.

Maybe you have a developer friend who can help.

But you still need basic knowledge—otherwise, you might get scammed along the way.

Creating programmatic strategies for repetitive daily tasks is also crucial.

Build bots to complete tasks or boost efficiency.

AI can help you discover new opportunities.

You have time now—use it as effectively as possible.

If a developer earns more in one month than you do in three years…

Isn’t that worth thinking about?

Think about it—but don’t just think.

If your answer is “Yes, absolutely…”

Then the best thing to do is start learning programming today.