Programming Bitcoin

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How to Get Started
The real ‘getting started’ begins with your idea, but we will get to that later. First, let’s talk a bit about technology.

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There are two primary ways of creating a cryptocurrency:

Build your blockchain — this will have its own ‘coin’
Use NEO, Ethereum or a similar platform to create an application — this will have its own ‘token’
So, the first thing you need to decide when figuring out how to create a cryptocurrency is whether you’re going to build a “token” or a “coin”. Are you going to start from scratch? Or build a token on technology that is already trusted and available?

Coins and tokens are both cryptocurrencies. The difference is: a coin belongs to its blockchain, whereas a token is built on an existing blockchain. So, there can be thousands of tokens built onto a blockchain, whereas there can only be one coin.

Here are some of the most popular coins:

How to Create a Cryptocurrency

Some of these blockchain technologies can be used to help create tokens. The most popular blockchain for building applications and tokens is Ethereum.

Ethereum vs NEO: The Most Popular Choice for Tokens
How to Create a Cryptocurrency
ETH
✓ Native Virtual Machine
✗ Runs on Proof of Work mining until
for Proof of Stake network upgrade
✓ Average desktop wallet
✓ Quality 3rd party options
✓ Hardware wallet

How to Create a Cryptocurrency
NEO
✓ Native Virtual Machine
✗ Node, delegate and voting systems
currently incomplete, plans unknown
✓ Average desktop wallet
✗ Minimal 3rd party options
✗ No hardware wallet

The tokens built on Ethereum are called ERC-20 tokens. The Ethereum blockchain is a great playing field for people who are trying to learn how to create a cryptocurrency because the Ethereum blockchain was the first to offer this service and is very well trusted.

NEO is very similar, but instead uses the NEP-5 standard token, and allows people to use the NEO blockchain to create applications and tokens. It is the second most popular platform!

Ethereum may have the trust and popularity advantage, but NEO has an advantage of its own. On NEO, you can build with many different programming languages, including C++ and Java. On Ethereum, you can only build using Solidity (Ethereum’s programming language).

This means that developers using NEO do not have to learn a new language, and instead can use a language they are already familiar with.

So, which would you prefer to learn how to create a cryptocurrency? If you’d like to use Ethereum, you’ll need to learn Solidity. If you use NEO, you can use a pre-existing language that you may already be familiar with.

The good news is: Solidity doesn’t have to be difficult to learn. It was designed to be similar to Python, JavaScript and C++ to make it easier to learn. Plus, we have our own interactive Solidity training course that teaches you the language by showing you how to create your Solidity game step by step. It’s a new, fun way to learn: it’s called Space Doggos.

Also, if you're interested in buying these cryptocurrencies, you can do that on Coinbase or Binance.

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Building a ‘Coin’ vs. Building a ‘Token’
Bitcoin logo

COIN:

✓ Has its Blockchain
✗ Very Expensive
✗ Takes a Lot Of Time

Bitcoin logo

TOKEN:

✓ Built On An Existing Blockchain
✓ Not Expensive
✓ Doesn’t Take a Lot Of Time

Deciding whether you need a coin or a token is a big choice: it determines a lot of things for your project, including the amount of money you need to spend.

Learning how to create a cryptocurrency (which requires building a blockchain from scratch) is very expensive and takes a lot of time. You also need an amazing team of developers!

However, if you don’t need your blockchain, you can just create a token. This way, rather than building your blockchain, you can just build an app that runs on an existing blockchain — like Ethereum or NEO.

Yes, creating a token and app (dApp/decentralized application) does still require a lot of time, money and a great team of developers. But, it is much easier and cheaper to do than creating a coin/building your blockchain!

Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)
When a traditional company decides to go public on a stock exchange, the company offers an Initial Public Offering – which is a way to raise funds in exchange for shares.

Well, Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are very similar. ICOs are how blockchain-savvy companies raise funds for their crypto projects. But instead of the investors buying shares, they receive “tokens”.

INTERESTING FACT
Trying to figure out how to create a cryptocurrency, so ICOs can be very, very helpful. And because the crypto sector is currently very popular, now could be a great time to start one!

Laptop with a ICO and Bitcoin logo
Gaining trust plays a huge role in the success of an ICO. The most successful ICOs are the ones that have a strong team of developers/founders and a solid roadmap. A roadmap tells investors what the project plans to achieve in the future, and how they plan to use the funds.

Now, let’s take a deeper look creation of cryptocurrency. But first, I’ll make some assumptions.

You don’t have millions of dollars in the bank to create your own blockchain cryptocurrency “coin”
You’d rather take the easier route and create dApp and token by building on an existing, trusted blockchain
So, I’ll stick with the less technical, less expensive and less extreme version of how to create a cryptocurrency. Here’s how to create a ‘token’.