20 million JavaScript developers can now build apps on NEAR: KBW 2022

"A student can create an application without the need to learn new languages ​​without the need to learn new skills", said the founder of NEAR, Illia Polosukhin. New

20 million JavaScript developers will now have the ability to write blockchain smart contracts and build applications on the NEAR protocol, after rolling out the JavaScript Software Development Kits (JS SDKs) on Monday.

Speaking to Cointelegraph during Korea Blockchain Week (KBW) on August 9 (local time), NEAR founder Illia Polosukhin pointed out that the move will open the niche of blockchain development to a much wider audience. wider:

“There are approximately 20 million JavaScript developers in the world. Probably like every developer in one way or another has written JavaScript in their lifetime. 'write smart contracts in JavaScript.'

"Before we had Solidity, so for Ethereum and the other Layer 2s, we had Rust, which is mostly Solana and Near. And so Solidity probably has 100,000 developers who know about it, and those who are active even fewer There's even less likely to be in Rust,” he added.

In an August 8 announcement shared with Cointelegraph, NEAR noted that the JS SDK includes the "contract framework itself, JavaScript and TypeScript contract samples and tests".

Polosukhin went on to note that JS SDKs can be used by anyone, from students looking to dip their toes into blockchain, to people in the commercial sector looking to accelerate their projects.

"A student can build an app without needing to learn new languages ​​without needing to learn new skills. It will also be easier for entrepreneurs to hire [developers], so they can really build stronger, faster teams and deliver products faster,” he said, adding that:

"So, Near's idea is to create a very extensible and powerful system that allows developers to create really anything, from simple applications to very complex applications."

Asked if the JS SDKs will be Ethereum Virtual...