Introduction to Stage 1
Blockchain Developer Mental Model. What is stored on-chain, and what happens between transaction code and confirmation?
The questions this stage addresses
The easiest mistake for engineers is to start by writing contracts.
They can complete tutorials but cannot explain what is stored on-chain; they can write transfers but cannot explain why transactions get stuck; they can build frontends but mistake “broadcast” for “successful.”
This stage builds models rather than business code: data structures, cryptography, transaction lifecycles, RPC, and the fundamental differences between EVM and Solana account models.
Six chapters
What is actually stored on a chain?
How can a signature prove “it is me”?
From construction to confirmation, what must the code do?
Who is your dApp really talking to?
What is the difference between an EOA and a contract account?
Why don't Solana programs store their own data?
After this stage
You can write a tool that breaks any on-chain transaction down into understandable state changes.
Stage artifact: A command-line tool that reads blocks and accounts, parses a transaction, and prints state changes.
Study suggestions
- Every chapter requires code, even if it is only twenty lines. The gap between understanding and implementation is especially large here.
- Read T5 and T6 together. Comparing the account models is the fastest way to understand either.
- Use testnets throughout. No real assets are needed in this stage.