Unlocking the Potential of Web3 with Chainlink: An In-Depth Exploration of Blockchain Oracles

College DAO
3 min readJun 26, 2023

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A snapshot of the student web3 community at SMU Blockchain Club during the Chainlink Bootcamp 🔥

The transformative world of Web3 is marked by the rise of decentralized applications (DApps) that fundamentally shift our interaction with the Internet. A key catalyst in this revolution is the Oracle, a bridge that connects smart contracts with the real-world data crucial for executing their coded instructions. Without these Oracle services, smart contracts would only be able to interact with data within their respective blockchains, limiting their potential considerably.

Chainlink, a powerful decentralized Oracle network, steps in to address this very issue. By offering secure and robust connections to external data sources, APIs, and payment systems, it enables smart contracts, particularly on Ethereum, to interact with off-chain data and services without compromising the security and reliability inherent to blockchain technology. This capability is central to Chainlink’s role in Web3’s ongoing transformation.

Recently, Singapore Management University Blockchain Club (SMUB), College DAO, and Chainlink jointly held a 2-day developer boot camp that showcased the remarkable potential of Chainlink in real-time. The boot camp attracted over 100 developers, each brimming with curiosity and eagerness to delve deeper into core blockchain infrastructure, thereby laying a strong foundation for building the next generation of DApps.

The boot camp commenced with an introductory webinar led by Frank Kong, Developer Advocate at Chainlink Labs. This webinar guided participants through the essential concepts of Web3, the Oracle problem, and the significance of Oracle data and computing services in blockchain infrastructure.

The subsequent two days took a hands-on approach, focusing on Chainlink’s extensive functionalities. On Day 1, participants worked hands-on with Chainlink’s network and services, developing a dynamic Non-Fungible Token (NFT) smart contract utilizing Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF) for off-chain random number generation. They explored how platforms like OpenSea detect NFT smart contracts and experimented with changing NFT images via metadata state changes. The result was a dynamic NFT, deployed successfully on the Polygon Mumbai testnet.

Day 2 saw a deeper dive into advanced Chainlink functions, integration of the NFT smart contract with an external API through Chainlink’s Oracle, and real-time manipulation of the NFT image based on regional temperature data. They utilized Google BigQuery for data fetching, guided by a Google engineer, demonstrating the power of Chainlink’s ability to import diverse data into smart contracts. The lessons underscored the potential of these tools in enabling DApps to interact with and utilize real-world data effectively.

The event’s success is attributed to the collaborative efforts of SMUB, Chainlink, and College DAO, and of course, the active engagement of the participants, whose desire to learn and innovate is driving the future of decentralized applications. Their enthusiasm sets the stage for more workshops and learning opportunities, further empowering this community to shape our decentralized future.

For those keen to explore further the world of Chainlink and Oracle services, the Chainlink documentation offers a comprehensive guide. Additionally, the Chainlink Discord community is a vibrant network of developers and innovators eager to connect and share their experiences.

College DAO is the one-stop hub for Web3 education. We are a thriving community of college students who are constantly working to help bring Web3 opportunities and drive mass adoption. We do this in the form of Events, Educational Content, and professional development opportunities such as Internships and Full-time positions.

If you are a student who is passionate about engaging with this space, join our communities and take your Web3 journey to the next level 🚀

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College DAO
College DAO

Written by College DAO

CollegeDAO is the network college building education infrastructure to integrate web3 at 100+ universities worldwide.

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