Getting into Web3 development? Here's what actually matters. First, solid grasp of blockchain fundamentals—understand how transactions, smart contracts, and consensus mechanisms actually work. Second, pick your language: Solidity for Ethereum, Rust for Solana, or Go for other chains. Don't just learn syntax; grasp the security implications of each. Third, master wallet integration and Web3 libraries like ethers.js or web3.js. You'll be handling real assets, so mistakes aren't just bugs—they're expensive bugs. Fourth, security awareness. Study common vulnerabilities: reentrancy, overflow, front-running. Fifth, learn to read existing contracts on explorers; reverse engineering teaches you patterns. Finally, get comfortable with gas optimization—efficiency isn't nice-to-have in blockchain, it's essential. Start building on testnets, fail cheap, then go live.