Web3 doesn’t need more coders. It needs better thinkers.

There’s a reason why Christine Erispe spends the first day of her workshops explaining how blockchains work before ever touching a line of code. Too many newcomers to Web3 believe the first step is learning a programming language. But for Christine, DevRel for ETH PH (ETH63), that’s not just wrong—it’s dangerous.

"You don't need to learn to code immediately to be able to grasp how to develop applications in the decentralized ecosystem."

Christine believes the real challenge isn’t syntax. It’s systems. Developers need to understand how wallets function, how smart contracts behave, what the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) does, and what limitations shape their tools.

In her workshops, coding comes later. First comes context. And that clarity changes everything.

The Over-Glorification of Code

Christine once posted on Facebook that coding had become over-glorified. In her words:

"We don't need more coders. We need more people who actually understand systems, know their constraints, and work with them. Coding is only 5% of that."

It wasn’t a rant. It was a reflection of what she sees across the ecosystem: developers focused on syntax and tooling, without truly understanding the architecture they’re building on.

And in a world where AI can write basic smart contracts, the value of a dev who can think in systems is increasing.

Vibe Coding and Functional Learning

Christine calls it vibe coding, using tools like AI to generate code from natural language prompts. But to do that effectively, you still need to know what you’re building, how the components fit together, and what constraints exist.

That’s why she structures her workshops around goals. Want to mint an NFT? She teaches only what’s necessary to achieve that. Want to deploy a messaging dApp? She designs the session around that end result.

Her advice is simple: don’t study everything. Start with the problem you want to solve. Let the project guide your learning path.

This mindset isn’t just practical. It’s empowering. It strips away the anxiety of trying to learn every tool and protocol and focuses on building useful things.

Christine’s teaching isn’t about covering material. It’s about uncovering clarity.

A Shift in Mindset

Christine’s blueprint isn’t about replacing code. It’s about reframing it. Code is still essential. But it only matters once you understand the system it supports.

Her approach to education is built on systems thinking, real-world relevance, and project-driven learning. It’s not about writing more lines. It’s about seeing the bigger picture.

That’s how Christine Erispe is shaping the next generation of Web3 builders: one system at a time.