A first look at the Cardano Developer Portal
By: Cardano Foundation
Tags: Smart Contracts, Dapps, Cardano, Development, Blockchain

(Written by @ElliotHill of the Cardano Foundation)

As we prepare to release the first components of Goguen, we are edging closer to welcoming developer talent and creative individuals from around the world to build on Cardano.

The first component of Goguen to be released will be tokenization — the ability to issue native tokens on the Cardano blockchain, which we explored in detail in one of our previous blog posts. It will also be the first time developers can write and deploy smart contracts on Cardano through Plutus and Marlowe, and launch a variety of decentralized applications, or DApps.

We are approaching an explosive period of growth for the Cardano protocol, where developers will finally be empowered to let their creativity flow freely, and we are exploring new ways to accommodate your passion.

That is why we are pleased to announce that we will soon be launching the Developer Portal, an all-encompassing portal where developers can access documentation, share ideas, collaborate, promote their projects, engage in discussions, and more importantly have fun while building on Cardano.

Here, we will take a first look at the Developer Portal, and discover how you can become one of the first developers to participate. Alternatively, if you are already hyped for the developer portal and don’t need any more encouragement, you can go ahead and sign up for our waiting list here!

What will be included on the Developer Portal?

The Developer Portal will be a one-stop-shop for all things development, such as providing easy access to documentation and access to subject matter experts. Let’s explore some of the first features you can expect to find.

Cardano documentation

The Developer Portal will make it easier than ever before to find and navigate essential Cardano documentation. Whether you are starting from scratch and launching a Cardano node for the very first time, or if you are a seasoned developer ready to build the next major DApp, the Cardano documentation and Developer Portal will help you get started.

The Cardano documentation available on the Developer Portal will be an enhanced version of the documentation available today, with a much greater focus on Plutus and Marlowe-related docs — such as how to write a smart contract, or build a DApp.

Developer-focused content

The Developer Portal will include developer-focused articles, video content, infographics, reporting and measuring tools, tutorials, downloadable guides, and data visualizations that developers can leverage to improve their development experience on Cardano.

These tools will be crucial for attracting enterprises and financial institutions to build on Cardano, and they will also serve as an invaluable resource for developers looking to learn a new programming language, build out their knowledge of Haskell, or explore new Cardano components.

There will also be ways for the developer community to give feedback on the type of content they would like to have access to, which will help us steer our outputs to best help developers build on Cardano and inspire your development goals.

Developer discussions and relations

Forming long-lasting relationships with developers is one of our key missions, and the Developer Portal will be the perfect platform to do so. We want to encourage developers to take part in discussions, make suggestions on Cardano improvements through our CIPs, and make code commits through our GitHub.

As an open-source platform, Cardano needs passionate developers who will take ownership of writing and building smart contracts and DApps, and that is why the Developer Portal will be a place where developers can collaborate, share ideas, and build in synergy with one another.

We currently have dedicated areas on the Cardano Forum, where developers and technical users such as stake pool operators can take part in discussions. The Developer Portal will feature similar developer relations capabilities, although all the more interactive as it will be built alongside other developer-focused features.

In time, we hope the Developer Portal will become a bustling hub of developer activity — driven by developers, for developers.

How can I become an early user of the Developer Portal?

Whether you are a seasoned developer or just learning your first steps of Haskell, we encourage you to signup for our Developer Portal waiting list.

You will be among the first developers to explore the portal, driving the discussions, and helping to shape Cardano. As an early subscriber, you will also have access to exclusive content while the portal is being prepared.

Most importantly, the Developer Portal will empower you to connect with other like-minded developers, who could become friends, collaborators, or even co-founders.

Join the Developer Portal waiting list today by signing up here. We look forward to welcoming you to our developer community.