By Shivacha Engineering
Decide which blockchain developer you need
'Blockchain developer' covers very different roles: smart contract engineers, protocol and node engineers, dApp and wallet developers, and backend engineers who build indexers and integrations. Be specific about which you need — most products need two or three of these profiles, not one generalist.
Skills that matter
- Security instinct: thinks about how code can be abused, not just how it works
- Testing discipline: fuzz and invariant tests, not only happy-path unit tests
- Understanding of gas, storage and upgrade patterns
- Off-chain skills: indexers, backends and key management
- Clear writing: specifications and documentation auditors can follow
How to test them
Review real code they have shipped, ideally deployed and audited. Give a short practical exercise that includes a subtle vulnerability to find, not just a feature to write. Ask them to explain a design trade-off in writing — clarity of explanation predicts how well they will work with auditors and your team.
Red flags
- Cannot explain common vulnerability classes or past incidents
- Dismisses audits or testing as unnecessary
- Copies contracts without understanding them
- Has only worked on testnets or tutorials for production roles
In-house, freelance or dedicated team?
In-house hiring gives long-term ownership but takes time in a competitive market. Freelancers suit short, well-defined tasks. A dedicated team from a specialist partner gives you vetted engineers quickly, with continuity if someone leaves — useful while you build your own team.