{"id":1659,"date":"2022-10-10T07:04:11","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T07:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/?p=1659"},"modified":"2023-05-02T07:45:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T07:45:25","slug":"building-a-dapp-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Guide to Decentralized Applications (dApps)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#What_is_a_dApp\" title=\"What is a dApp?\">What is a dApp?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Components_of_a_decentralized_application\" title=\"Components of a decentralized application\">Components of a decentralized application<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#1_Frontend_user_interface\" title=\"1. Frontend&nbsp;&amp; user interface\">1. Frontend&nbsp;&amp; user interface<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#2_Smart_contracts\" title=\"2. Smart contracts\">2. Smart contracts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#3_Data_storage\" title=\"3. Data storage\">3. Data storage<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Difference_between_a_dApp_and_traditional_App\" title=\"Difference between a dApp and traditional App\">Difference between a dApp and traditional App<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Pros_and_cons_of_decentralized_applications\" title=\"Pros and cons of decentralized applications\">Pros and cons of decentralized applications<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Advantages_of_dApps\" title=\"Advantages of dApps \">Advantages of dApps <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Disadvantages_of_dApps\" title=\"Disadvantages of dApps\">Disadvantages of dApps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Examples_of_web3_dApps\" title=\"Examples of web3 dApps\">Examples of web3 dApps<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#1_Cryptokitties\" title=\"1. Cryptokitties\">1. Cryptokitties<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#2_Augur\" title=\"2. Augur\">2. Augur<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#3_Uniswap\" title=\"3. Uniswap\">3. Uniswap<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#4_MakerDAO\" title=\"4. MakerDAO\">4. MakerDAO<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#The_typical_tech_stack_for_building_a_dApp\" title=\"The typical tech stack for building a dApp\">The typical tech stack for building a dApp<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Basic_steps_for_building_a_dApp\" title=\"Basic steps for building a dApp\">Basic steps for building a dApp<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Step_1_Choose_a_blockchain\" title=\"Step 1: Choose a blockchain\">Step 1: Choose a blockchain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Step_2_Set_up_a_development_environment\" title=\"Step 2: Set up a development environment\">Step 2: Set up a development environment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Step_3_Design_the_smart_contracts\" title=\"Step 3: Design the smart contracts\">Step 3: Design the smart contracts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Step_4_Develop_the_front-end\" title=\"Step 4: Develop the front-end\">Step 4: Develop the front-end<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#Step_5_Test_and_deploy_the_dApp\" title=\"Step 5: Test and deploy the dApp\">Step 5: Test and deploy the dApp<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/building-a-dapp-guide\/#So_why_need_dApps_anyway\" title=\"So why need dApps anyway?\">So why need dApps anyway?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><em>If you want to entertain the idea of building a dApp, you must know what are its core features. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you remember the last time you used a dApp? They&#8217;re not very common so the answer could be an easy no. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even developers sometimes cannot differentiate between a decentralized application from a traditional application. So understandably, it&#8217;s a learning curve and it may be bigger if you plan to build one.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter is-style-primary\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/courses\/build-your-own-web3-twitter-dapp-with-solidity?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Advanced Project: Build a Twitter dApp yourself \u2728<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence before you start building one, you should load on some essential dApp knowledge. First let&#8217;s start with understanding,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-dapp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_dApp\"><\/span>What is a dApp?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>dApps are applications that don\u2019t rely on a centralized server or system. Which is why the &#8216;d&#8217; in &#8216;dApp&#8217; stands for decentralized. Adding on, dApps make use of Web3 technologies like blockchain and contain functions, logic which makes them rigid and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To further explain, dApps have a backend code running on <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blockchains<\/a>. Contrary to that, on a traditional application, the backend logic is stored on a centralized platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other than being highly secure &amp; having tamper-proof smart contracts, dApps have several other benefits which aren&#8217;t offered by Web2 applications. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Enhanced privacy<\/li><li>Anonymity<\/li><li>Censorship resistance<\/li><li>Zero downtime<\/li><li>Trustlessness<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"components-of-a-decentralized-application\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Components_of_a_decentralized_application\"><\/span>Components of a decentralized application<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"776\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/COmponents-of-a-dapp-1-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Components of a Dapp\" class=\"wp-image-1668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/COmponents-of-a-dapp-1-edited.jpg 776w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/COmponents-of-a-dapp-1-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/COmponents-of-a-dapp-1-edited-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 776px) 100vw, 776px\" \/><figcaption>Components of dApps<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Three main components which contribute to a dApp are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-frontend-user-interface\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Frontend_user_interface\"><\/span>1. Frontend&nbsp;&amp; user interface<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A code&#8217;s backend logic and functions are taken care of by smart contracts written in languages like <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/solidity?utm_campaign=smf&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=organic\">Solidity<\/a>. The front-end or client side of the dApp is coded using standard web technologies such as HTML for markup and Javascript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This enables the developer to use familiar libraries, frameworks, and tools. The client-side program is linked to the smart contract via client-side libraries such as&nbsp;Web3.js&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ether.js.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interaction with the smart contract is done using web3 wallets like <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/courses\/understand-and-setup-metamask-account?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MetaMask<\/a> and Torus Wallet<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-smart-contracts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Smart_contracts\"><\/span>2. Smart contracts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/courses\/writing-your-first-hello-world-contract-in-solidity?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Smart contracts<\/a> store the application&#8217;s logic along with the state of the application. This is the fundamental difference between a decentralized Web3 application and a traditional web2 application. This gives it all the benefits of a dApp as mentioned above. Smart contracts are the basis of building a dApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-data-storage\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Data_storage\"><\/span>3. Data storage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The majority of applications need to store data, however, due to the scattered nature of blockchains, keeping data on-chain can be very costly and not suitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why most dApps store their data on off-chain <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/decentralized-storage-guide\/\">decentralized storage<\/a> services such as IPFS or <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains\/filecoin?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Filecoin<\/a>. This makes blockchain use only for crucial logic and functions state of the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One might also use a cloud-based service like <a href=\"https:\/\/aws.amazon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">AWS<\/a> or Azure, but this defeats the decentralized goal of the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"difference-between-a-dapp-and-traditional-app\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Difference_between_a_dApp_and_traditional_App\"><\/span>Difference between a dApp and traditional App<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Basis of comparison<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><em><strong>Centralized Apps<\/strong><\/em> \ud83e\udea2<\/td><td><em><strong>Decentralized Apps<\/strong><\/em> \u26d3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Definition<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">A single firm owns and manages the code and functions of the application<\/td><td>The dApp runs on a blockchain<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>User Interaction<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Interacts with a traditional program<\/td><td>Interacts with a program based on smart contracts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Backend Code<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Operates on centralized servers such as AWS or Google Cloud<\/td><td>Operates on a peer-to-peer network<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Security<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Less secure<\/td><td>More secure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>System<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">If a server goes down, the whole app faces down-time<\/td><td>If a node goes down the app continues to function normally<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Which one\u2019s for you?<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">If you want a system easier to manage, then go for centralized apps<\/td><td>If your end goal is to benefit from security, better go for decentralized apps<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pros-and-cons-of-decentralized-applications\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pros_and_cons_of_decentralized_applications\"><\/span>Pros and cons of decentralized applications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building and using a dApp comes with its own set of pros and cons. It&#8217;s extremely important to dive into a subject with clarity, so you should explore advantages and disadvantages of dApps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"advantages-of-dapps\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Advantages_of_dApps\"><\/span>Advantages of dApps <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It remains fully functional despite the server going down. So users will be able to access the app.<\/li><li>It\u2019s decentralized, hence, users will benefit from the additional security that comes from dApps.<\/li><li>User data will not suffer a breach or hacking attempt.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"disadvantages-of-dapps\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Disadvantages_of_dApps\"><\/span>Disadvantages of dApps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It\u2019s difficult to fix a bug, considering the rigidity of a smart contract on a blockchain.<\/li><li>Limited target audience, because of the lack of understanding around the Web3 ecosystem<\/li><li>Expensive for short-term applications, as dApp transactions are costly and slower and they require gas charges. It can be difficult to attract users in the early stages.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"examples-of-web3-dapps\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Examples_of_web3_dApps\"><\/span>Examples of web3 dApps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As of late, hundreds of web3 dApps have emerged and given netizens a renewed sense of using the web. Shown below are some of the most popular examples of dApps that are actually enjoying a high number of users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-cryptokitties\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Cryptokitties\"><\/span>1. Cryptokitties<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a blockchain-based game that allows users to buy, sell, and breed virtual cats. It was one of the first popular dApps and was launched in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-augur\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Augur\"><\/span>2. Augur<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a decentralized prediction market platform that allows users to create and participate in markets on a wide range of topics. It was launched in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-uniswap\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Uniswap\"><\/span>3. Uniswap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains\/uniswap?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Uniswap<\/a> is a decentralized exchange that allows users to trade <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/courses\/create-your-own-ethereum-token-in-just-30-mins?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ethereum-based tokens<\/a>. It was launched in 2018 and has become one of the most popular dApps on the Ethereum network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-makerdao\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_MakerDAO\"><\/span>4. MakerDAO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a decentralized platform that allows users to borrow and lend digital assets using smart contracts. It was launched in 2017 and has become one of the most widely used dApps in the <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains\/ethereum?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ethereum ecosystem<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-typical-tech-stack-for-building-a-dapp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_typical_tech_stack_for_building_a_dApp\"><\/span>The typical tech stack for building a dApp<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Let&#8217;s explore an overview of the tech stack you must rely on in order work on a dApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>ReactJS\/NextJS \u2013 front-end JavaScript frameworks<\/li><li>TypeScript \u2013 for creating stable and better web pages<\/li><li>Web3.js \u2013 helps to connect the webpage to blockchain<\/li><li>EtherJS \u2013 a high-level library similar to Web3.js\u00a0<\/li><li>Truffle \u2013 development tool for smart contract development<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/guide-solidity-contracts\/\">Solidity<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 programming language used to write smart contracts on the Ethereum Blockchain<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basic-steps-for-building-a-dapp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basic_steps_for_building_a_dApp\"><\/span>Basic steps for building a dApp<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building a dApp (decentralized application) involves the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-choose-a-blockchain\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Choose_a_blockchain\"><\/span>Step 1: Choose a blockchain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in building a dApp is to choose a blockchain to build on. There are several options to choose from, including Ethereum, <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains\/solana?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Solana<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/blockchains\/tron?ref=Articles&amp;utm_source=Blog_Organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRON<\/a>. Each blockchain has its own unique features and capabilities, so it&#8217;s important to choose one that meets the needs of your dApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-set-up-a-development-environment\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Set_up_a_development_environment\"><\/span>Step 2: Set up a development environment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you&#8217;ll need to set up a development environment that allows you to build and test your dApp. This typically involves installing a local blockchain <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/testnet-meaning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">testnet<\/a>, such as Ganache, as well as a set of development tools, such as Truffle and Web3.js.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-design-the-smart-contracts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Design_the_smart_contracts\"><\/span>Step 3: Design the smart contracts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A dApp typically consists of one or more smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code. You&#8217;ll need to design and write the smart contracts that form the backbone of your dApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-4-develop-the-front-end\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Develop_the_front-end\"><\/span>Step 4: Develop the front-end<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the smart contracts are complete, you&#8217;ll need to develop the front-end of your dApp, which is the user interface that people will interact with. This typically involves building a web application using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-5-test-and-deploy-the-dapp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Test_and_deploy_the_dApp\"><\/span>Step 5: Test and deploy the dApp<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you can release your dApp to the public, you&#8217;ll need to thoroughly test it to ensure that it is bug-free and secure. Once you&#8217;re confident in the stability of your dApp, you can deploy it to a public blockchain, such as the Ethereum mainnet, so that it can be accessed by anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building a dApp can be a complex process, and it typically requires a good understanding of <a href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/what-is-blockchain-guide\/\">blockchain technology<\/a>, smart contracts, and web development. However, with the right tools and resources, it is possible for anyone to build a dApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-why-need-dapps-anyway\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_why_need_dApps_anyway\"><\/span>So why need dApps anyway?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Three powerful terms: User control, free speech, and censorship resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A decentralized dApp enables users to have more control and no single group dictates the fate of the app and its users. They don&#8217;t have a central authority, and they foster independence and freedom for their users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, centralized applications have as of late just become data breachers and stealers. It&#8217;s annoying that they know so much about us. Plus, they&#8217;re highly vulnerable to attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it all should stop, and one way to do it is by building dApps. It can prove to be a very impactful project for a developer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So now that you&#8217;re aware of everything, go ahead and build your very first dApp. You can go check out our website for several beginner-friendly and advanced dApp projects. \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffc<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1677,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[36,35,87],"class_list":["post-1659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blockchain","tag-blockchain-applications","tag-dapps","tag-decentralized-applications"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1659"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5682,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1659\/revisions\/5682"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}