Blockchain
Python Developers Are Key to Blockchain Adoption
I have worn many hats throughout my career, from derivatives analyst to applied cryptographer, but at heart I am a software engineer. I have always loved programming and, like many others who identify as “dev”, I know several programming languages, the usual suspects like Java, Swift, C and Rustamong others. So when the cryptographer in me got excited about decentralized computing, following ideas like Bitcoin and Monero, the developer in me took on the challenge of learning the new programming languages that blockchain requires. Through this experience, I quickly saw a major obstacle: the need to learn an entirely new programming language. Even if that language shares similarities with existing ones (such as Solidity’s similarity to JavaScript’s syntax), it could still limit the number of people who could build applications for decentralized operating systems.
Fast forward to the present, and the landscape has changed. Blockchain is no longer a fringe concept, but its mass adoption still faces one obstacle: developer accessibility and UX. Without developers building them, we don’t have decentralized applications; without those applications, widespread adoption won’t happen. Here’s where Python — one of the most used and requested programming languages in the world.
Python Powers Most Popular Apps
Python is a versatile and easy-to-learn language. It is a workhorse across industries that powers much of the Internet as we know it today. Instagram, which started as a simple photo-sharing app, is now one of the leading social media apps in the world. Its backend infrastructure? Python.
Spotify, the ubiquitous music streaming service with its algorithms that select the songs we want to listen to, is based on Python. Many large language models, including ChatGPT, Meta’s Llama3, and Google Gemini, are based on Python, and PyTorch Torch for their development and functionality. The list of industry-defining Python-based apps goes on and on. The familiarity of Python provides a sense of trust, and that’s exactly what blockchain needs to gain widespread acceptance and accessibility.
Blockchain programming in Python is possible, but it hasn’t been done right yet. We have recently integrated Python as a native programming language on the Algorand blockchain. This was a significant, multi-year undertaking that resulted in a seamless native Python coding experience.
Why did we spend the time and effort to do this when we previously had (like many other blockchain networks) a Python-like language called PyTEAL? We see genuine Python as one of the primary on-ramp to blockchain for businesses. It allows them to build on what they already have: a talented workforce of Python developers. They don’t need to spend more money hiring specialists fluent in niche languages; their existing development team can leverage their expertise to build and maintain secure, transparent, and decentralized blockchain solutions. It’s this kind of accessibility and reduced engineering costs that will help blockchain reach mainstream adoption.
Blockchain: More Than Just Cryptocurrency
When we think of blockchain, we usually think of cryptocurrency, and rightfully so, as it was the catalyst that ignited the blockchain revolution. Cryptocurrency enables secure and verifiable transfer of value across borders without intermediaries. However, blockchain has many more use cases waiting to be unlocked by entrepreneurial developers. The problem is that developers are hesitant to jump into this Web3 technology, firstly because of the language barrier (which has been solved for many with Python) and secondly because there is still no widespread understanding of how businesses across all industries can leverage blockchain in their operations.
Blockchain addresses the problems that the traditional centralized web struggles with, such as secure and permanent record keeping. For most businesses today, data is stored on centralized servers, making it isolated. Instead, blockchain provides verifiable, tamper-proof traceability and provenance, which is important in situations like permanent public ledgers, clinical research data, supply chain registries, and decentralized IDs. Many systems that manage this data are already built in Python. These same developers can leverage their skills to build more secure and verifiable solutions on blockchain.
Smart Contracts: Automating Agreements
Another feature of many blockchains today is smart contracts. These programmable contracts (apps) automate agreements and transactions based on pre-defined conditions. This enables entirely new business models and transaction types, enabling automatic payments and document workflows that execute exactly as programmed without the risk of error or manipulation. As part of my work at ConsenSys, I designed Covantis, a post-trade settlement system for the world’s largest agricultural traders that leverages smart contracts – the goal was purely operational efficiency. Of course, the use of smart contracts goes far beyond agriculture – industries such as insurance, real estate, and legal services could streamline complex processes via programmable smart contracts (if this, then that). Atomic transfers take this efficiency to the next level by ensuring that all agreed-upon actions happen together in a single transaction. It makes it possible to trade with someone you’ve never met, but both of you get what you want, without trust and with assurance.
Python: A Path to Web3 Adoption
These opportunities are still in their early stages. But it’s incredible to think about how blockchains could reshape entire industries or global systems by realigning financial relationships, trust, and decision-making in peer-to-peer networks. Python could be the key to unlocking these possibilities. Here’s how the 10 million Python developers worldwide can become architects who build the future on blockchain, driving widespread adoption.
Blockchains need to make it easier for developers to build applications to achieve widespread adoption. That’s why Algorand, the enterprise-grade programmable layer-1 blockchain, is the first to provide native support in semantically and syntactically regular Python. This experience is much easier and more accessible than when I started my blockchain career years ago. You don’t need to know a niche language or have specialized cryptography skills to get involved; Python is all you need. This unparalleled accessibility is what will drive blockchain adoption. The present and future are built with Python!
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John Woods joined the Algorand Foundation as CTO in 2022. Prior to joining the leadership team, he served as the Chief Architect of Cardano at IOHK. John has held leadership roles in software architecture and applied cryptography at numerous companies…
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