Recently researching Midnight, I have been quite troubled by numerous technical points. I also watched the official Midnight Developer Academy. @MidnightNetwork has opened this developer training camp to help developers better understand the technology of #night , which is also a preparation for the mainnet launch, with a clear goal: to turn the originally obscure ZK (Zero-Knowledge Proof) development into a skill that even Web2 developers can handle.

The core teaching material of the academy is the Compact language. The smartest aspect of this language is that it completely reuses the syntax habits of TypeScript, but at the bottom, it can automatically convert the code logic into the cryptographic components required for zero-knowledge proofs. During my research, I found that it breaks down the development process into “ledger context,” “circuit context,” and “witness context.” This design allows you to clearly define which data is publicly on-chain and which is locally private when writing code, without needing to struggle with complex cryptographic formulas.

In addition to language learning, the academy also offers a complete practical path. From the most basic development environment setup (including Docker proof server and VS Code plugins) to writing practical contracts like Tug of War or token minting, it almost guides you step by step through the operation logic of the mainnet. What impressed me the most was its teaching of the DUST token model, where it will teach you how to reduce redundant circuit constraints by optimizing code, thereby lowering DUST consumption during transactions. $NIGHT

If you are a Builder aspiring to privacy development, this academy is more like a pass. Through the challenges inside, you can not only earn badges like Midnight Explorer, but more importantly, you can master the business logic of “default privacy, disclosure on demand” ahead of others.