[fokinsean]

Quick question, do you have to download the full ethereum chain before you can start messing with smart contracts? Or is there a "light" client you can use?

[zodiac]

You shouldn't use the main ethereum network when testing smart contracts - develop on a local testnet and then if you want, on a public testnet (eg rinkeby or ropesten) first

[coryl]

You can use a test node called testrpc (now called ganache-cli ???) and connect to that.