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DeCo (Decentralised Collaboration)#

DeCo, or 'Decentralised Collaboration', is an organic grassroots initiative that arose to fill the gap in developer resources and education for the Ergo ecosystem. It aims to provide a comprehensive learning experience for newcomers to immerse themselves in the technical aspects of Ergo through a structured curriculum and community engagement.

Overview#

DeCo operates courses in a semester format, similar to a university, to facilitate a structured learning experience. The courses cover various topics related to blockchain technology, the Ergo platform, and developing decentralized applications (dApps) on Ergo. DeCo is working on a comprehensive workbook-format to serve as an educational resource.

Courses and Resources#

DeCo offers the following courses and resources:

  • Introduction, Layman, and ErgoScript Courses: Available on the DeCo Education YouTube channel.
  • The ErgoScript Developer Course: A comprehensive course on developing with ErgoScript, available on GitHub.
  • Discord Server: A hub for community engagement, support, and discussions, accessible via this link.
  • Blog Post: "DeCo and the Power of Community Initiatives on Ergo" provides insights into the initiative and its impact on the Ergo ecosystem (link).

Course Curriculum#

DeCo's course curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of blockchain technology, the Ergo platform, and the development of decentralized applications. The curriculum is structured into the following modules:

1. Crash Course on Blockchain and Ergo#

This module serves as an introduction to blockchain technology and the Ergo platform, covering the following topics:

  • What is Blockchain?: Understanding the concept of blockchain, its characteristics, and the types of data stored on different blockchains.
  • Components of Blockchain: Exploring the key components of a blockchain, including blocks, addresses, boxes, smart contracts, and transactions.
  • Ergo Blockchain: An overview of the Ergo blockchain, its unique features, and advantages, such as the advanced scripting language (ErgoScript), energy-efficient consensus algorithm (Autolykos), and support for non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
  • Advantages of Ergo: Highlighting Ergo's strengths, including its advanced scripting language, efficiency, flexibility, security focus, and active community.
  • Use Cases of Ergo: Exploring various use cases of Ergo, such as decentralized finance (DeFi), digital collectibles (NFTs), supply chain management, and gaming/gambling applications.

2. Community and Engagement#

This module focuses on understanding the DeCo community and how to engage and contribute effectively:

  • Understanding the DeCo Community: Exploring the different roles within the DeCo community, such as students, cabin leaders, contributors, and core members.
  • Becoming a Cabin Leader: Learning about the responsibilities, skills needed, and steps to become a successful cabin leader.

3. Technical Guides and Practical Skills#

This module delves into the technical aspects of developing on the Ergo platform:

  • eUTXO Model and NFTs: Understanding the extended UTXO (eUTXO) model, designing NFT boxes, and working with proxy contracts.
  • ErgoScript and Smart Contract Development: An introduction to ErgoScript, the process of writing and deploying smart contracts on Ergo.

4. Advanced Topics#

This module covers more advanced topics in Ergo development:

  • Multi-Stage Transactions and Complex Contracts: Designing multi-stage transactions, understanding off-chain and on-chain components, and working with complex contracts.

5. Design Principles and Security#

This module focuses on best practices and security considerations in blockchain development:

  • Blockchain Design Principles: Exploring scalability, security basics, and modular guard scripts.

Throughout the curriculum, DeCo emphasizes practical assignments, projects, and community discussions to reinforce the learned concepts and foster a collaborative learning environment.