How Starknet Surpassed Other Projects in Developer Activity: Marketing Analysis

Attracting developers to your project and getting them invested in your mission—whether it’s enhancing the blockchain ecosystem or achieving broader goals—is one of the biggest challenges in tech. Many projects have advanced technology, but most struggle to build a loyal developer community.

Starknet might not have the highest developer activity in the blockchain space, but it has laid down solid foundations that are worth analyzing from a marketing perspective. We believe their approach includes several best practices that have significantly contributed to their growth, which we’ll explore in this article.

At GuerrillaBuzz, we’ve worked with hundreds of companies, including many web3 projects. Our experience helps us analyze why some projects succeed while others don’t. By studying both successes and failures, we gain insights that improve our strategies.

Our journey has led us to explore some key questions:

• Why do some companies attract developers who actively build on their platforms while others fail?
• What makes a project gain a strong developer following?
• How can you create an environment where developers feel valued and motivated?

Starknet is a standout example of growing developer activity. This article examines the key factors behind their success.

Introduction

Starknet has demonstrated significant growth in its developer community, evidenced by the following key metrics:

• As of July 1, 2024, Starknet has 215 full-time developers and 820 monthly active developers.
• The network has 4,540 repositories and over 1.6 million commits.
• These numbers reflect Starknet’s success in building and maintaining an active and engaged developer ecosystem.

In this analysis, we explore the key factors that have helped Starknet attract developers. From our marketing perspective, we’ve identified several strategies that Starknet has implemented successfully to build a strong and engaged developer community.

Discovering the Reasons Behind Starknet’s Success in Attracting Developers

Clean and Comprehensive Documentation

Starknet’s documentation is a great example of how well-organized and user-friendly resources can significantly impact developer engagement. It’s clear, concise, and highly practical, allowing developers to quickly find what they need.

The intuitive side navigation menu, table of contents, and breadcrumbs help developers understand where they are at any moment, reducing frustration and preventing new users from feeling overwhelmed.

Imagine building a closet from IKEA with a poorly written manual—confusing instructions or missing steps can cause frustration and delays for you, the builder. Similarly, clear documentation reduces onboarding friction and helps new developers quickly get up to speed.

Comprehensive Tutorials

The tutorials section on Starknet’s site addresses common challenges and platform functions with step-by-step guidance, enabling developers to start building immediately. By focusing on detailed, practical tutorials, Starknet helps developers avoid potential roadblocks right from the beginning. The tutorials are clearly categorized for both beginners and advanced users, making it easier for everyone to find relevant content.

The Starknet Book

The Starknet Book, created by the community, offers a hands-on experience that is less formal than official documentation, yet equally valuable. It provides practical insights directly from developers, guiding users through deploying and interacting with Starknet smart contracts using the Cairo programming language.

Think of it like the difference between a software manual provided by Microsoft and the advice you find on Stack Overflow. While Microsoft’s documentation may offer a step-by-step guide, a Stack Overflow post might say, “I was stuck on this problem for hours until I tried this workaround, and it worked perfectly!” The Starknet Book offers similar peer-driven wisdom—real-world solutions shared by developers who have navigated the same challenges.

Cairo Programming Language

The Cairo programming language, inspired by Rust, is designed specifically for blockchain development, making it easier to create smart contracts that can be efficiently verified. Unlike Rust, which is known for system-level programming, Cairo is optimized for writing scalable dApps with validity proofs on Starknet. Developers have praised Cairo for its ease of use and its ability to solve blockchain scaling problems, which contributes to Starknet’s growing popularity.

Seed Grant Program

Starknet’s Seed Grant Program provides non-dilutive funding of up to $25,000 in USDC to support developer growth and innovation. This financial support allows teams to build on the platform without giving up any equity, making it easier for more developers to get involved and contribute.

Ambassadors Program

The Ambassadors Program leverages the influence of key community members to enhance Starknet’s reputation and attract more developers. These ambassadors play a crucial role in spreading the word and increasing Starknet’s visibility within the developer community.

Devonomics: Rewarding Developers and Building Loyalty

Starknet’s Devonomics initiative demonstrates its commitment to developers by returning a portion of the network fees. This not only rewards developers for their contributions but also fosters loyalty and long-term engagement.

Unlike the Ambassadors Program, which focuses on increasing visibility, and the Seed Grant Program, which funds new projects, Devonomics directly incentivizes ongoing developer engagement and contribution.

Active and Engaged Community

Starknet’s success is driven by its active community and the initiatives that bring people together, such as the Starknet Educational Newsletter, the Starknet events, and the Starknet Ecosystem page which showcase various dApps, services, and resources, making it easier for developers to connect and collaborate.

StarkWare’s Contribution

StarkWare, the company that developed Starknet, plays a crucial role in fostering this community. They provide the foundational technology, including Starknet and the Cairo programming language, and actively support community efforts by offering resources, organizing events, and maintaining a presence in the developer ecosystem. Their involvement ensures Starknet continues to evolve and meet the needs of its growing user base.

Key Strategies Behind Starknet’s Developer Growth

Strategy	Description	Impact
Clear Documentation	Easy-to-follow, well-structured guides for developers.	Reduces onboarding time and helps developers get started quickly.
Practical Tutorials	Step-by-step instructions for all skill levels.	Helps developers learn and build effectively, minimizing obstacles.
The Starknet Book	Community-created resource with real-world developer insights.	Provides practical advice and solutions from experienced developers, fostering community engagement.
Cairo Programming Language	Blockchain-focused language for efficient smart contracts.	Attracts developers interested in scalability and ease of use.
Seed Grant Program	Funding up to $25,000 in USDC to support new projects.	Encourages innovation and development on Starknet without financial risk.
Ambassadors Program	Uses influential community members to promote Starknet.	Boosts awareness and attracts new developers through trusted voices.
Devonomics Initiative	Rewards developers with a share of network fees.	Incentivizes ongoing contributions and long-term developer engagement.
Engaged Community	Regular newsletters, events, and an ecosystem page for networking and collaboration.	Builds a connected community, driving active participation and support.
StarkWare’s Role	Provides core technology and actively supports the community.	Ensures continuous improvement and aligns with the needs of the developer ecosystem.

Conclusion

Starknet’s impressive growth in developer activity can be attributed to its focus on long-term sustainability, comprehensive documentation, community-driven initiatives, an accessible programming language, and robust support programs. These elements collectively foster a dynamic environment for developer engagement and innovation.

This review and analysis were conducted by the GuerrillaBuzz team as part of our success case studies series, where we highlight companies that excel in their strategies. Our honest evaluation of Starknet, alongside others like Binance, Coinbase, and Digital Ocean, demonstrates how doing things the right way can lead to remarkable growth and community building.

You can read our detailed analyses of Binance, Coinbase on our website for more insights into effective marketing strategies.