6. Sara - Senior Software Engineer @ Consensys

Welcome to product3 - your weekly peek behind the curtain of web3 product development.

We're continuing to explore perspectives beyond product management. This week, we're diving into the technical foundation that makes web3 products possible with Sara, a Senior Software Engineer at Consensys.

This week, we continue our journey beyond product management by stepping into the world of product engineering with Sara - a Senior Software Engineer at Consensys. I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Sara and I can attest to her astonishing speed of execution and excellent product sense

In less than 500 words, she shares:

• What it takes to jump from web2 to web3

• Common technical misconceptions

• What’s currently shaping the future of web3

What technical skills or knowledge areas became unexpectedly important when transitioning to web3 development?

When I made the jump from traditional web dev to web3, I thought it’d be just another stack to learn. Turns out, there are a bunch of unexpected skills that became way more important than I initially expected. Here’s what really mattered:

1. Blockchain Fundamentals (No Way Around It)

   • You have to understand how decentralized networks work—Ethereum, Solana, whatever chain you’re building on.

   • Consensus mechanisms (Proof of Stake, Proof of Work, etc.) influence everything, from security to gas fees.

   • How smart contracts interact with the blockchain (state changes, immutability, finality).

2. Smart Contract Development (Your New Backend)

   • Solidity is king if you’re on Ethereum. Rust if you're messing with Solana.

   • Gas optimization is critical—bad code can make transactions ridiculously expensive.

   • Security is everything. One small vulnerability can cost millions. Seriously.

3. Frontend + web3 Integration (Forget Traditional APIs)

   • No more just REST or GraphQL, now you’re dealing with smart contracts + RPC nodes.

   • Reading from the blockchain vs. writing to it? Two completely different beasts.

4. Wallets & Authentication (No More Emails & Passwords)

   • Users don’t log in—they connect wallets (Metamask, WalletConnect, etc.).

   • Understanding signing messages and transaction approval flows is key.

   • UX is a challenge here—non-web3 users get confused fast.

What are common misconceptions about technical constraints in web3 product development?

One big misconception in web3 development is the idea that everything has to be decentralized—even when it doesn’t make sense.

• Not everything needs to be onchain – hybrid solutions are not the devil.

• Speed vs. Security – Some apps need instant responses, and blockchains aren’t always built for that.

• User Experience Matters. Forcing users to sign transactions for every little action? That’s just bad design. 

web3 is about trust and ownership, but smart builders know when to decentralize and when to keep things efficient.

In your opinion, what are the most exciting or influential trends shaping the future of web3 at the moment?

If I had to pick two game-changing trends in web3 right now - it’s AI and account abstraction. Both are reshaping how we interact with decentralized systems.

AI + web3 = Smarter, Autonomous Systems:

• AI-driven smart contracts that adapt and optimize in real time.

• Decentralized AI models (like blockchain-secured machine learning).

• AI-powered DAOs making governance more efficient.

Contract Abstractions = UX Game-Changer:

• Account abstraction (ERC-4337) making wallets actually user-friendly.

• Gasless transactions and smart contract wallets for seamless onboarding.

• Programmable wallets that automate complex interactions.

If you’ve enjoyed this micro interview, share it with fellow web3 product people. You can also learn more about Sara’s work here.

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See you in the next edition!