Development stages

Transcript

00:00     There are in total, 20 key stages of development. Don't be alarmed though. Some are easier than others, but all are crucial. You must get each stage complete in order to have a stable blockchain. Although we are not creating a blockchain from scratch. We are in fact, using an existing blockchain as the foundation for our own. It still takes a great amount of dedication and commitment to achieve.  I am going to walk you through the 20 development stages, explaining the purpose of each stage.

00:35     Stage 1 of any project is always setting up the environment. For developers, often this is done once and can be used again and again. Setting up our environment means having everything you will need, ready at your disposal. Your virtual machine with Linux, your desktop clear of clutter. Your designated files ready for images etc. Being organized and prepared will save you time down the road.

01:05     The next stage is the source code. Choosing the right source code takes time. If you don't do your research. All the time spent on the following 18 stages will be for nothing. Whilst all source codes can be cloned and used to make your own coin. Finding the one that meets your needs will be the challenge. You will get frustrated at times, but don't rush this part.

01:31     Renaming. This stage in development should be extremely easy. However, as you will see in the tutorial, there are often things that can make it harder. Such as renaming the coin to something that conflicts with another word in the code. Take each stage slowly and carefully.

01:51     Permissions and compiling. This stage is relatively simple. Compiling should be done as often as possible. This is to ensure it still compiles. If you make changes and get compile errors, you need to retrace your steps. Skip the compiling and you will find it difficult to work out where you went wrong. Trust me, I am speaking from experience. I have wasted many days plugging away.  Only to get compiling errors that forced me to abandon everything and restart. Compile often to catch the errors early. It's easier to undo what you did that day. Than it is to remember what you did yesterday.

02:35     Wallet review 1.  In this stage we will see how what we have done has affected the QT. You will be able to see the name change and learn more about how the QT works.

02:49     QT Images. In this stage you will be replacing images with your own. Don't let this stage take up too much time. You can always change the images once the blockchain is complete. People who spend too much time on logo design, lose sight of the goal. The goal is to learn how to create a blockchain. Once you have completed all the stages, you can work on the design and brand image of your coin.

03:17     Wallet review 2. Reviewing the changes you have made visually, helps you to understand where you are headed. Whilst development isn't so much about the aesthetics. It is still nice to create a good looking QT.

03:33     Seeds and Alert keys. At this point, we are removing our source code off of the current blockchain. This is now the beginning of our real development. Removing all traces of the old coin. And making sure that reference to it's chain is gone forever.

03:51     Port numbers, Message starts and Wallet versions.  Now we are getting into the real changes. We create our own ports, replace message start numbers. And change the version of the wallet to reflect our development stage.

04:07     Prefixes, Block times and Difficulty re-targeting. In this stage, we perform changes to how our blockchain behaves. Such as block times and how often the difficulty re-targets. The prefixes are assigned to our wallet addresses, making them unique to our coin.

04:26     Block rewards, Masternode rewards and pre-mine allocation. Here we are creating our most essential parameters for our blockchain. This will give our blockchain it's personality. What makes it stand out from others. This is important to get right. Using the wrong parameters here, could make people avoid mining your coin. Consider miners and masternode holders and don't get greedy. It's all too easy to think you need a huge pre-mine. When in fact, it will scare others away. Think smart at this stage.

05:03     Masternode collateral. In the stage, we delve into the collateral and look closer at how it's recognized by the QT. It is important to make sure that the QT picks up on your collateral. If not, you won't be able to make a masternode. Tread carefully here.

05:22     Preparing for the genesis. If you don't get this stage right. Everything you have done up to this point is for nothing. Without a genesis, you don't have a blockchain. Failing to prepare for the genesis is not an option. Follow very closely and take your time.

05:41     Hashing the genesis. This is a great stage to be on. The satisfaction of seeing your genesis hashed for the first time. Is euphoric. Even more so if you can get past this stage without compiling errors. Getting through this part validates all you have done in previous stages.

06:03     Seed nodes, binaries and GitHub. Essential to every blockchain is a seed node. Here you will be guided into creating a strong seed node for your chain. You will also learn how to create a repository and release a wallet on GitHub.

06:20     Cross-compiling. Undoubtedly the hardest and most frustrating part, if you don't know how.. Luckily, I have mastered it and will show you exactly how to cross compile your Windows QT. Both 64 bit and 32 bit versions. Be prepared for a long tutorial though. It's not a fast process, but well worth it.

06:44     Mining the genesis and masternode setup. This is where your blockchain comes to life and breathes it's first breath. Mining the first blocks, including the pre-mine is very satisfying. Creating a support masternode on your blockchain is the icing on the cake. If this is your first blockchain, there is no better feeling.

07:08     Monitoring Progress.Ensuring that your blockchain is performing as it should. It is important to run a test network to make sure everything is going as planned. You don't want to have many updates and changes after your launch.

07:24     Block explorer setup. Although it is not an essential part of development, it is still required. You need to be able to explore your blockchain. Knowing how to create a good explorer is a must, if you plan to launch your coin.