As Blockchain Hackathons grow in popularity, and there are more and more development options available, how can developers choose the right Blockchain Platform for their DApp?

It’s no secret that some Blockchain Networks use proprietary programming languages, some are slow, and many are just difficult to work with, and this makes Nebulas a unique choice for DApp developers at Hackathons — and beyond!

In addition to showing why Hackathons are important to Blockchain Technology, this article also explains why Nebulas should be on the “short list” of development platform options!

So, Hackathons…

When people hear the word “Hackathon,” many of them ask, “What are they hacking?” First, let’s be clear, most Hackathons do not involve hacking/attacking a digital service/platform. Most Hackathons are opportunities where communities of all different types come together and build awesome stuff — really fast!

I’m also asked, “Who can attend Hackathons?” and, usually, the answer is EVERYONE! Young, old, novice, expert, educators, innovators, and more — everyone is welcome. There are, of course, some competitive developers who attend Hackathons, but many are just there to connect, learn and explore. So, there’s usually no prerequisite for attendance at Hackathons!

In many cases, there’s a fundamental theme at Hackathons, such as gaming or specific languages, and in our case, Blockchain. While there are often specific goals, at other times, participants simply build what they want! These events, while exhausting, are vital for education and community interaction with emerging technology.

The majority of people who attend Hackathons come alone, but due to team building, many leave with meaningful friendships! It’s a space to learn, share, collaborate, and finally, create something incredible in literally hours (usually 48 short hours).

Why attend a Hackathon?

SVE Hackathon — Team building and interaction

If you are a developer or simply interested in a concept, there is no better place to meet like-minded people, explore new ideas, and be rewarded for your hard work! Rewards range from free swag for all participants to tens of thousands of dollars in prizes.

Why Blockchain?

Currently, entire Hackathons are devoted to Blockchain!

As one of the strongest emerging technologies, Blockchain empowers change on a global scale. Blockchain is the embodiment of community, and, in fact, without community, Blockchain loses its greatest resource — you!

Although Blockchain’s first use case was digital crypto currency, we are rapidly moving past simple financial interactions. Now, Blockchain is a revolutionary platform designed for decentralized system. Just like applications on your phone need an operating system, Blockchain is an operating system for new types of applications.

These applications are known as Decentralized Applications also known as DApps. What makes a DApp different is that they utilize a Blockchain for data interactions and even application execution (e.g. Smart Contracts). The data, as well as the application interaction, is guaranteed to be fair, accurate and decentralized. I encourage everyone to learn and understand “Why Blockchain” and once you understand why, explore “How Blockchain.”

How Blockchain?

SVE Hackathon — Collaboration between developers

For many, the thought of utilizing a Blockchain in their application can be daunting due to numerous reasons. Ethereum was the first platform where applications could utilize a Blockchain, and while Ethereum is great, it has its fair share of drawbacks.

I tell people that “Ethereum is an amazing platform… as long as you do not expect your application to be popular, everyone else on the network does not expect their applications to be popular, you willing to learn a new programming language, and your users can afford the exuberant transaction fees.”

Let’s break down this statement:

The Ethereum network is capable of 8 to 15 transactions per second. Just to give you a comparison, credit card companies do thousands of transactions per second. Therefore, if your application grows, you will be limited to the capacity of the chain. On top of that limitation, the capacity is shared with everyone on that chain. Literally, everyone has to share the maximum transactions per second. So, you have to think “small” in terms of usability. Ethereum uses its own programming language called Solidity. Committed Ethereum developers have no option but to learn this new language. Due to the transaction capacity, it’s expensive for users to interact with the Ethereum Blockchain. Fees range anywhere from $0.20 to over $4.00 per transaction. This means that if your application requires constant interactions with the Blockchain, your users will need to pay high fees.

How is the Nebulas Blockchain different?

Nebulas is currently capable of thousands of transactions per second — with room to grow! Instead of learning a new language, Nebulas utilizes JavaScript — yes, this is the language that many developers choose as their first language due to both its simplicity and its ability to be used virtually everywhere, including Smart Contracts. Transactions and interactions on Nebulas cost a fraction of a cent due to its scalability.

“We will make Blockchain so cheap, only the rich will be able to afford centralized.” -Satoshibytes

Why choose Nebulas at Hackathons?

Due to time constraints and the requirement that all code is written during the Hackathon, choosing a platform is an important team decision.

Nebulas offers the ability to develop Smart Contracts on a Blockchain using JavaScript, and, in fact, you can use JavaScript for the front end, server side, and Blockchain application — it’s literally an all-in-one solution. In addition to JavaScript development, Nebulas has many features and functions available for Smart Contract development, such as:

Simple data/content interaction

Token support including NRC-20 and NRC-721

True Random Number Generation

Contract-to-contract interactions

Crypto library functions in contracts

Execution based on Blockchain status

Full JSON data format

Smart contract deployment can be completed in seconds

API’s available for multiple languages

Simple wallet integration

And much more!

If you can spend less time developing your Smart Contract, you can spend significantly more time on other components of your DApp — leading to a more polished Hackathon presentation!

Over the past couple of months, I have seen developers with all levels and backgrounds attend Hackathons and choose Nebulas for their platform. In fact, teams that develop on Nebulas often receive high scores and place in top positions (from a diverse group of judges).

But, the benefits of Nebulas go far beyond any 2-day Hackathon!

Since Nebulas is designed for DApps and scalability, Hackathon participants, who choose Nebulas for their platform, often continue their project developments, refine their ideas, and build DApps that people actually use — and that is the true goal; Real-World-Usage!

Although I have to admit that I am biased, there is a reason for my opinion. You see, I have personally been involved with Blockchain Technology for nearly seven years, and I can honestly say that Nebulas stands out from the crowd — and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

However, do your own research, explore what is available, and learn about Blockchain features, and, when it’s time to choose the best Blockchain for your DApp, we’ll be waiting for you!

Thank you for being part of the growing Blockchain community!

DoraHacks — Hackers hard at work.

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This article was created by contributing writer Dustin K. who is a proud Nebulas Ambassador. The ideas expressed may or may not reflect the views of the Nebulas core team.

Contact the writer:

Reddit: satoshibytes

Telegram: SatoshiBytes

Email: dustin.kritzer@nebulas.io

To learn more about Nebulas, visit https://nebulas.io