If you want to develop on Layer 1, it is important to understand what the Common Knowledge Base is and what the benefits and tradeoffs are.
Development on layer 1 is based off the "Cell Model", a descendant of Bitcoin's UTXO model, which is the native programming model of the Nervos layer 1 blockchain. Smart contracts are typically written in Rust, and the design patterns used in smart contracts are very different from those used in Ethereum.
If you have not worked with other UTXO based blockchains in the past, the Cell Model will be challenging and different. But the primary benefits are the potential for significantly higher scalability, flexibility, and re-usability. However, the Cell Model is also brand new, meaning that library and tooling support is not nearly as mature. There is still a lot of uncharted territory, and those willing to be pioneers may end up being the leading experts in a growing ecosystem. For those who want a more mature and familiar experience may be better suited to develop using EVM on Layer 2.
These resources will be helpful for getting started:
- Nervos Official Docs: Developer Materials Guide
- Nervos Official Docs: Tips for CKB Development
- Nervos Official Docs: CKB Development FAQs
- Layer 1 Developer Training Course
- L1 Testnet explorer
- L1 Testnet faucet
- Mainnet & Testnet Links: Common Knowledge Base (Layer 1)
- What are Layer 1 and Layer 2 on the Nervos Network?