A blockchain developer builds and maintains blockchain-based applications, writing smart contracts, integrating them with back-end and front-end systems, and deploying them on public or permissioned networks. Freshers usually start in IT services or start-ups, working on Solidity contracts, token projects, proofs of concept and Hyperledger Fabric chaincode under senior guidance, with a strong focus on testing and documentation. A good GitHub portfolio of deployed testnet projects helps you get shortlisted.
Solidity basics Foundry or Hardhat ethers.js Git and testing Blockchain fundamentals
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01
How is a blockchain different from a traditional database?
A traditional database is controlled by one administrator who can create, update and delete rows, and trust comes from that owner. A blockchain is shared by many parties, is append-only, and trust comes from cryptography and consensus. The trade-off is performance: a database handles thousands of writes per second with low latency, while a public chain is slower and costlier. Use a blockchain only when several parties who do not fully trust each other must share one record.
02
How do you get current fee data and send an EIP-1559 transaction with ethers.js?
require(condition, message) validates inputs and conditions, reverting with a message if false. revert stops execution explicitly and is often used with custom errors, such as error InsufficientBalance(uint256 need, uint256 have); revert InsufficientBalance(x, y); which are cheaper than strings and carry data. assert checks invariants that should never fail; a failure signals a bug and raises a Panic. Since Solidity 0.8.26 you can also pass custom errors to require.
04
Tell me about a time you learnt a new technology quickly to meet a deadline.
Situation: in my internship I was asked to add NFT minting to a demo in ten days, and I had never written Solidity. Task: deliver a working, tested contract. Action: I spent two days on Solidity basics and OpenZeppelin docs, built the ERC-721 contract, asked a senior to review my approach early, and wrote Foundry tests for every function. Result: the demo shipped on time on Sepolia, and the review caught only minor issues.
05
What is the difference between constant and immutable?
constant variables must be assigned a compile-time value and are inlined into the bytecode, for example uint256 constant MAX = 1000. immutable variables are assigned once in the constructor and then embedded in the deployed code, for example an owner address or token address chosen at deployment. Neither uses a storage slot, so reading them is far cheaper than reading normal state. Use them for anything that never changes after deployment.
06
Why do you want to work in DeFi, given its risks and volatility?
I am drawn to DeFi because it turns financial products into open, auditable code, and that combination of finance and engineering motivates me. I understand the risks: hacks, market crashes and regulatory change. That is why I have focused on security, testing and risk thinking, not just writing contracts. I see volatility as a reason to build carefully. I want to work on a team that values audits, monitoring and user protection.
07
What happens, step by step, when you send an Ethereum transaction?
The wallet builds the transaction with nonce, to, value, data, gas limit and fee fields, signs it with the private key, and sends it to a node via eth_sendRawTransaction. The node validates and gossips it to other mempools. A block builder includes it, and the proposer publishes the block. Every node executes it in the EVM, updating state and producing a receipt with status, gas used and logs. After about two epochs the block is finalised.
A revert undoes all state changes made during that transaction, including nested calls, as if it never ran. However, the transaction is still included in a block, the nonce is consumed, and the sender pays for the gas used up to the revert. Contracts revert with require, revert or custom errors, which return a reason the wallet can show. Since the Byzantium upgrade, unused gas is refunded on revert, unlike the old invalid opcode which consumed everything.
A blockchain is a distributed, append-only ledger where records are grouped into blocks and each block stores the hash of the previous block, forming a chain. Many independent nodes keep a copy and agree on new blocks through a consensus protocol, so no single party controls the data. Changing an old block would change its hash and break every later link, which makes tampering easy to detect. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the best known public examples.
Gas measures the computational work an operation needs; for example a simple ETH transfer uses 21,000 gas, and writing a new storage slot costs about 20,000. The gas limit is the maximum gas the sender allows a transaction to consume. The gas price, per unit, is what the sender pays. The fee equals gas used times the effective gas price. If execution exceeds the limit, it reverts but the used gas is still charged.
11
What does a block contain and what is inside a block header?
A block has a header and a body. The body holds the list of transactions. The header holds metadata: the previous block hash, a timestamp, the Merkle root (or state and transaction roots in Ethereum) summarising the transactions, and consensus fields such as the difficulty target and nonce in Bitcoin. Because the header commits to all transactions through the root hash, nodes can verify a block's integrity by hashing just the header.
In the UTXO model used by Bitcoin, coins exist as unspent transaction outputs; a transaction consumes some outputs and creates new ones, which makes parallel validation and privacy easier. In the account model used by Ethereum, the state stores a balance and nonce per account, which is simpler for smart contracts and wallets. The trade-off: UTXO avoids replay issues and scales verification well, while accounts make complex stateful logic far easier to write.
13
You open a transaction on a block explorer. Which fields do you check and what do they mean?
Check the status (success or failed), the block number and confirmations, from and to addresses, and the value transferred. For contract calls, check the decoded input data and emitted event logs, which show token transfers. Check the gas limit, gas used and effective gas price, which together give the fee paid, plus the nonce. If the status failed, the revert reason tells you why, while fees are still charged for gas used.
The mempool is each node's waiting area for valid transactions that have been broadcast but not yet included in a block. Block producers usually pick transactions paying the highest fees or priority tips. Every node has its own mempool, so contents can differ slightly. Because pending transactions are public, bots can watch the mempool and front-run trades, which is why private transaction relays and order-flow auctions are used for sensitive transactions.
15
You need the same contract at the same address on five chains. How do you do it?
Use CREATE2 through a deterministic deployment factory that already exists at the same address on all those chains. Keep the init code identical: same compiler version, optimiser settings, constructor arguments and metadata. Pick a salt, compute the expected address off-chain, then deploy on each chain. Foundry scripts support this by passing a salt. Avoid constructor arguments that differ per chain, or move chain-specific settings into an initialiser restricted to the deployer.
16
Write a basic ERC-721 NFT contract using OpenZeppelin.
An externally owned account (EOA) is controlled by a private key, has a balance and nonce but no code, and is the only type that can start a transaction. A contract account has code and storage, is controlled by its code, and acts only when called. Since the Pectra upgrade's EIP-7702, an EOA can also delegate to contract code, so the line is blurring as smart accounts become common.
18
Write a minimal Python example showing how blocks are linked by hashes.
Each block stores the previous hash, so changing any earlier data breaks the chain.
import hashlib, json
def block_hash(block):
data = json.dumps(block, sort_keys=True).encode()
return hashlib.sha256(data).hexdigest()
chain = [{'index': 0, 'data': 'genesis', 'prev': '0'}]
for i, tx in enumerate(['A pays B 5', 'B pays C 2'], 1):
chain.append({'index': i, 'data': tx, 'prev': block_hash(chain[-1])})
valid = all(chain[i]['prev'] == block_hash(chain[i-1]) for i in range(1, len(chain)))
print(valid)
19
How is public-key cryptography used in blockchain?
Each user has a private key, kept secret, and a public key derived from it. The private key signs transactions, and anyone can verify the signature with the public key, proving the owner authorised the transfer without revealing the private key. Addresses are derived from public keys. Because control of funds equals control of the private key, losing it means losing access, and leaking it means anyone can spend the funds.
20
Design a blockchain solution for farm-to-store supply chain traceability. What goes on-chain?
I would use a permissioned or low-cost chain where farmers, transporters, warehouses and retailers are known members. On-chain I would record batch IDs, ownership handovers, timestamps, signer identity and hashes of certificates or sensor data. Large documents, images and IoT streams stay off-chain in object storage or IPFS, referenced by hash. QR codes on packs link consumers to the trail. The main risk is bad input data, so I would add signed device readings and audits.
21
Write a basic voting contract using a struct, mapping and event.
The Merge, completed in September 2022, switched Ethereum from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake by joining the original execution chain with the Beacon Chain, which had been running PoS since December 2020. Mining ended, energy use fell by more than 99.9 percent, and new ETH issuance dropped sharply. Block times became a fixed 12 seconds. Staked ETH withdrawals were enabled later in the Shapella upgrade of April 2023.
23
How do you compute a function selector and decode calldata with cast?
cast handles ABI work from the command line.
# Function selector
cast sig 'transfer(address,uint256)'
# 0xa9059cbb
# Encode calldata
cast calldata 'transfer(address,uint256)' 0xAbc... 1000000
# Decode calldata from a transaction
cast 4byte-decode 0xa9059cbb000000...
# Decode with a known signature
cast decode-calldata 'transfer(address,uint256)' 0xa9059cbb...
This is useful when checking what a wallet is really asking you to sign.
24
How would you set up a local blockchain for development and testing?
For EVM work, run a local node with Anvil from Foundry or the Hardhat network. Each gives about ten pre-funded test accounts, instant mining and console logging. You can fork mainnet at a given block to test against real contracts and balances without spending money. For integration tests, deploy to a public testnet such as Sepolia, using faucet ETH. Keep deploy scripts and RPC URLs in config so the same code targets local, testnet and mainnet.
25
What are value types and reference types in Solidity, and what are data locations?
Value types such as uint, int, bool, address, bytes32 and enums are copied when assigned or passed. Reference types such as arrays, structs, strings and mappings point to data, so you must state a data location: storage for persistent contract state, memory for temporary data inside a function, or calldata for read-only external inputs. Assigning storage to a local storage pointer modifies state, while copying to memory creates an independent copy.
26
Tell me about a blockchain project you have built.
Pick one project and explain it with STAR. Situation: in my final year I wanted to learn Solidity end to end. Task: build a crowdfunding dApp. Action: I wrote the contract with goal and deadline logic and refunds, tested it with Foundry including fuzz tests, built a Next.js front-end with wagmi, and deployed to Sepolia. Result: 30 friends tested it, I fixed a refund bug they found, and the repo now has docs and a demo video.
Use a specific, sincere answer. For example: I first got interested when I built a small token contract in college and saw that code could hold and move value without a middleman. Since then I have completed Solidity projects, learnt Foundry testing and read audit reports. I like that the field mixes cryptography, distributed systems and finance. I want to grow as a smart contract developer and help build secure, real-world applications such as payments, tokenisation or supply chain.
Modifiers are reusable pieces of code that run before or after a function body, placed where the underscore symbol appears. They are mainly used for checks such as onlyOwner, whenNotPaused or nonReentrant. For example, modifier onlyOwner() { require(msg.sender == owner, 'not owner'); _; } blocks everyone except the owner. Keep modifiers short and check-only; complex logic inside modifiers hides behaviour and increases bytecode size because the code is inlined into every function that uses it.
29
Explain public, private and consortium blockchains.
A public blockchain such as Bitcoin or Ethereum lets anyone read, transact and run a validator. A private blockchain is run by one organisation that controls who joins, useful for internal audit trails. A consortium (permissioned) blockchain is governed by a group of organisations, for example several banks sharing trade-finance data on Hyperledger Fabric. Public chains give maximum decentralisation; permissioned chains give privacy, known identities and higher throughput.
The EVM is the sandboxed, deterministic runtime that executes smart contract bytecode on every Ethereum node. It is a stack-based machine with 256-bit words, and each opcode has a gas cost, so every computation is metered and infinite loops are impossible. Because every node must get the same result, contracts cannot access the internet or randomness directly. Many chains and rollups are EVM-compatible, so the same Solidity contracts and tools work across them.
Testnets are public networks that run the same software as mainnet but with valueless ETH, so developers can test deployments and dApps safely. Sepolia is the main testnet for application developers, and Hoodi replaced Holesky for validator and staking testing in 2025. Test ETH comes from faucets, which often require a small mainnet balance or a login to stop abuse. Many Layer 2s run their own Sepolia-based testnets bridged from Ethereum Sepolia.
Inherit the audited ERC20 implementation and mint the initial supply in the constructor.
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.24;
import {ERC20} from '@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20/ERC20.sol';
import {Ownable} from '@openzeppelin/contracts/access/Ownable.sol';
contract CampusToken is ERC20, Ownable {
constructor() ERC20('Campus Token', 'CAMP') Ownable(msg.sender) {
_mint(msg.sender, 1_000_000 * 10 ** decimals());
}
function mint(address to, uint256 amount) external onlyOwner {
_mint(to, amount);
}
}
33
An HR team wants to store employee records on a blockchain. Would you recommend it?
Usually no. Employee records are owned by one organisation, change often and contain personal data that must be correctable and deletable under the DPDP Act 2023. A normal database with role-based access and audit logs is cheaper, faster and compliant. I would ask who else needs to trust the data. If several employers or background-check agencies must verify certificates, I would store only hashes of credentials on a permissioned chain and keep the actual data off-chain.
34
What is Ethereum and how is it different from Bitcoin?
Ethereum is a programmable blockchain: besides transferring its native currency ETH, it runs smart contracts, which are programs stored on-chain that execute exactly as written. Bitcoin focuses on being secure, scarce digital money with a deliberately limited scripting language and the UTXO model. Ethereum uses an account model, Proof of Stake since 2022, about 12-second blocks, and a large ecosystem of tokens, DeFi, NFTs and Layer 2 rollups built on top.
35
Explain public, external, internal and private visibility.
public functions can be called externally and internally, and public state variables get an automatic getter. external functions can only be called from outside, or via this.f(), and read arguments directly from calldata. internal functions and variables are available to the contract and contracts that inherit it. private is limited to the defining contract only. Note that private only restricts other contracts; the data is still fully visible on the blockchain to anyone.
36
How do you read a contract's storage slot directly with Foundry's cast?
Use cast storage with the contract address and slot number. For mappings, compute the slot as keccak256(key . slot).
# Read slot 0 (often the first state variable)
cast storage 0xContractAddress 0 --rpc-url $RPC_URL
# balanceOf mapping stored at slot 2, key = user address
cast index address 0xUserAddress 2
cast storage 0xContractAddress <slot-from-above> --rpc-url $RPC_URL
This shows that private variables are not secret: anyone can read storage.
The ABI (Application Binary Interface) is the JSON description of a contract's functions, events and errors, and it defines how arguments are encoded. A function selector is the first four bytes of the Keccak-256 hash of the function signature, for example transfer(address,uint256) gives 0xa9059cbb. Calldata is the selector followed by ABI-encoded arguments in 32-byte words. Wallets, ethers.js and explorers use the ABI to encode calls and decode results and events.
38
A user approved unlimited token spending to a scam site. What should they do?
Revoke the approval immediately using a token approval checker or by calling approve(spender, 0) from the wallet, because the malicious contract can pull tokens any time. If a drain has started, move remaining assets to a fresh wallet. Check for other suspicious approvals and NFT setApprovalForAll permissions. Going forward, approve exact amounts, read wallet prompts carefully, use a separate hot wallet for new dApps, and prefer wallets that simulate transactions before signing.
Track on-chain activity in real time: alert on admin actions, large transfers, unusual withdrawal rates, paused states, oracle deviations and failed transactions. Use monitoring services or custom bots reading events, with alerts to on-call channels. Monitor invariants, such as total assets matching total shares, and automate responses like pausing through a guardian. Also watch the front-end, RPC health and DNS for hijacking. Review alerts weekly to reduce noise and test the incident runbook.
40
Write a Foundry unit test and a fuzz test for a contract.
Foundry tests are Solidity contracts; functions starting with test run as tests, and parameters make them fuzz tests.
import {Test} from 'forge-std/Test.sol';
import {Vault} from '../src/Vault.sol';
contract VaultTest is Test {
Vault v;
function setUp() public { v = new Vault(); }
function testDeposit() public {
v.deposit{value: 1 ether}();
assertEq(v.balanceOf(address(this)), 1 ether);
}
function testFuzzDeposit(uint96 amt) public {
vm.assume(amt > 0);
vm.deal(address(this), amt);
v.deposit{value: amt}();
assertEq(address(v).balance, amt);
}
}
Run with forge test -vvv.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Blockchain Developer do?
A blockchain developer builds and maintains blockchain-based applications, writing smart contracts, integrating them with back-end and front-end systems, and deploying them on public or permissioned networks. Freshers usually start in IT services or start-ups, working on Solidity contracts, token projects, proofs of concept and Hyperledger Fabric chaincode under senior guidance, with a strong focus on testing and documentation. A good GitHub portfolio of deployed testnet projects helps you get shortlisted.
Which skills are tested in a Blockchain Developer interview?
Expect questions on Solidity basics, Foundry or Hardhat, ethers.js, Git and testing, Blockchain fundamentals. Most rounds also ask you to explain a project and solve one practical problem live.
How do I prepare for a Blockchain Developer interview?
Revise Blockchain Fundamentals, Ethereum and the EVM, Solidity Programming first using the topic sheets, practise the questions on this page aloud, then do one full mock interview to practise timing.