This particular app is a clone of the popular app Crypto Kitties. It is not meant to replace the popular app but rather to learn from the creation of the success.
The goal of this particular app is two-fold:
- For the developer (ahem, me) to learn how to create and deploy apps on blockchain and to learn how to create NFTs through a fun game of creating and collecting digital cats.
- For the user to play around with blockchain and NFT tokens to understand how it all works.
What are NFTs? Without insulting you, I'm just going to assume that you might be completely new to this space. If you are already knowledgeable about it, feel free to skip this section.
NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token. What is basically means that each one is different in it's own right and they are typically used to digitally represent an asset. This asset can be in digital form, like the Digicats here in the app, but they can also be used to tokenize real-world assets, like a physical painting you can hang on your wall or perhaps a car, a house, and many other things.
They can be used to digitally represent your ownership of a particular thing in either digital or physical world and at some point, I believe that many things we currently own will be digitized and tokenized in this manner. Think houses, cars, boats, art and collectibles, but also some items that might be less valuable like your pants and shoes.
This is a brand new and exciting industry that is being created and I believe that now in 2020, we are at the very beginning of the brand new technological revolution with blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
This digitization will alow us to easily track what we own (possibly creating inventories, portfolios, etc) and will also provide for easier monetization and transfer of items.
What is so cool about this whole thing? Well blockchain is recognized now as a revolutionary technological development allowing for greater security, transparency, monetization, liquidity, and a host of other things that up until it's creation was not really possible.
Of course, if you have been in the space for a while, you likely know and understand the whole thing. But if you are brand new, the concept might be completely foreign to you and you may have many questions about it. If so, I invite you to learn. There are many blogs, books, and videos out there available for free or low cost. All of those are great ways to learn. Additionally, if you'd like to have a deep understanding into the space and instead of bouncing around from blog to blog or short video to short video trying to peace it all together on your own, I have created a FREE course called Crypto 101 which is available on my website: 1DealAway.com
What makes DigiCats interesting and unique? Because it's deployed on the test net it means you get to interact with it for free. I believe this is a great way for you to learn how it all works as the test net mirrors exactly what happens on the main net (the real thing where you use actual money).
Think of using an app on a test net as playing a game of Monopoly beofre you go out there and invest in real estate. It allows you to understand the rules of the game as it's based on the real world (you buy real estate, charge rent, save up and buy some more).
While Crypto Kitties is awesome in its own right (and wildly successful) it is very hard for a complete newbie to jump in and spend real money without understanding how it all works. DigiCats allows you to safely test the entire thing.
No, I am not connected in any way, shape, or form with Crypto Kitties. I don't even own a single one. So, I am not telling you to go out there and buy it.
What I am wanting to do with DigiCats is to provide you safe access into the world of blockchain, cryptocurrencies and specifically NFTs as I believe that they have a great potential in not-so-distant future. And my goal for the past few decades has been (and still is) to educate others and help them lean in a safe environment about new and upcoming opportunities.
Take a look at the site. Download MetaMask. Grab some test net ETH (monopoly money) and play around with the kitties. I hope you enjoy the end result as much as I have enjoyed learning about the entire process and creating the app.
If you are a programmer, feel free to check out the code and see what's under the hood.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the app.
- Nev