As a New York University junior studying Interactive Media Arts, I embarked on a journey to become an Algorand developer with zero blockchain experience. Here's my experience getting started with AlgoKit, Algorand's developer toolkit.

Starting with AlgoKit is straightforward. After watching the Algorand Developers YouTube channel's setup guide, I installed the prerequisites: Homebrew and Docker on macOS. Having prior experience with Terminal and VS Code made the process smoother.

The installation process involved:

1. Installing prerequisites via Homebrew
2. Configuring the development environment in VS Code
3. Setting up AlgoKit through VS Code's Terminal

AlgoKit provides preset DApp templates and clear instructions for initializing projects. The toolkit automatically generates necessary files and folders for creating Algorand smart contracts. While the number of files may seem overwhelming at first, following the setup video helps navigate the essential components.

To run my first smart contract:

1. Started local blockchain with 'algokit localnet start'
2. Launched Lora (formerly Dappflow) using 'algokit localnet explore'
3. Created a wallet and received test Algo
4. Uploaded ABI methods to ABI Studio
5. Created a simple program that outputs "Hello, [Name]"

Key takeaways for beginners:

• The entire setup took approximately 20 minutes
• Be adaptable as technology evolves
• File locations may differ from tutorials due to updates
• Web3 development is more accessible than it appears

The experience demonstrated that blockchain development isn't as intimidating as it might seem. The Algorand Developer Portal provides excellent resources for continued learning and practice with smart contracts.

The process proved that anyone with basic coding knowledge can start developing on Algorand, regardless of their background. As I continue my 10-week journey, I'll explore more complex smart contract development and share my experiences.

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