How to Get Started Building dApps on the Internet Computer?

Developers Rust
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Hey guys… :wave:

I have recently become fascinated with the potential of the Internet Computer for building decentralized applications (dApps). However, I am a bit unsure about where to start and would really appreciate some guidance from those who’ve already been through the process.

Here are a few questions I have:

  • What’s the best setup for getting started? I’ve read about Motoko and Rust, but I’m not sure which one to focus on as a beginner. Any advice on which language has better support or easier learning curve for building dApps on the Internet Computer?

  • How do Canisters work, and what are the key things to keep in mind when deploying them? Any particular tools or best practices you’d recommend for testing and debugging?

  • How can I effectively integrate the front-end of my dApp with the Internet Computer? I’ve seen a few references to using WebAssembly and IC front-end services, but I’d love to hear more about how this works in practice.

  • Are there any must-read guides, tutorials, or courses for a beginner in the Dfinity community?

I I’m excited to dive in and start building, and any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

1 Like
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Welcome! Lots of great questions.

Motoko vs Rust? I’m biased toward Motoko, especially for beginners. But ultimately, it depends on your career goals and where you’re at.

Motoko is fully dedicated to the Internet Computer, WebAssembly, and the actor model. It’s pretty easy to pick up.

Rust, on the other hand, is an established language in the broader industry and will probably open up more job opportunities outside of ICP. That said, it’s also more complex to learn.

Here’s how I’d break it down:

  • If you want to quickly start building projects, go with Motoko.
  • If you’re aiming for a career as a software developer, Rust will give you some serious advantages.

One advantage of Motoko that I’ve never heard mentioned but that made me pick it is the possible advantage of collaboration inside the Motoko community. The Motoko community is composed of a few individuals but all of them that are highly dedicated to building on ICP and developing the actor paradigm. Potential for future collab is strong here!

For resources:

  • Motoko Bootcamp: This is a program I created with different challenges that eventually lead you to build a mini DAO. I used to run it live, but it’s currently on hold as we transition to a community incubator. The next event is planned for 2025, but in the meantime, you can access the self-paced course.
  • ICP Developer Journey: A great starting point, featuring a video series you can check out here: Welcome to the ICP developer journey | Internet Computer

Canisters are the fundamental building blocks unit on ICP - you can see them as decentralized servers. You can read all about them, but deploying your first canister in 1 hour (Your first challenge - dao-adventure-book) is what really makes it click. Practice over theory!

Once deployed, the real work is managing them: make sure they have enough cycles, monitor usage, memory, and check logs when needed.

Frontend development on ICP is just like Web2. You’ll use an asset canister to store and serve your JS, HTML, and CSS files.

Check this for more info: https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/developer-docs/web-apps/application-frontends/overview

Also check those great resources:

  • Juno (A platform to help deploy apps on ICP): Juno
  • Azle (Building on ICP with TypeScript): Azle

Have fun!

3 Likes
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My suggestion is that you attend an ICP hackathon. In-person is better but online is fine as well. You’ll have a lot of community support, and you’ll surely learn a lot since you actually have to build a project. Also, the community is awesome, so you’ll have a great time.

I just did a quick search and this might be a good one to try out: Calimero x ICP Hackathon | Hackathon | DoraHacks

Also, get in touch with your local ICP Hub.

1 Like
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Welcome! If you choose to go the Rust route, here is a simple app that can help you get started:

The app allows you to use Internet Identity to authenticate and interact with a Rust based canister that only provides a simple counter. About as simple as it can get.

Frontend uses React/Vite and some support libraries to make interacting with canisters easy.

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Hey, here you can find a lot of Motoko starterKits: