What is Web3? Everything You Should Know About Web 3.0

Web3 supports decentralization and is developed, operated, and owned by its users; it is not a monopolized Web by large tech companies. Web3 means to empower individuals rather than corporations to make decisions.

World Wide Web's (www.) dependable, resilient infrastructure was made possible by centralization before Web3 which works on decentralization. The www. also assisted in bringing billions of people online. At the same time, a small group of centralized organizations control a sizable portion of the World Wide Web and make unilateral decisions over what should and shouldn't be permitted.

We will also learn about Web3 cryptos, which are a new wave of cryptocurrencies aimed at making Web3's decentralized vision a reality. They combine blockchain technology and smart contracts to give people control over their data and allow them to conduct transactions without the involvement of third parties.

Further in this article, we will cover applications of Web3, but first, let's look at the history of Web3 with a comparison of Web2 Vs Web3 and see how we got here.

History of Web3

The majority of people believe that the Web was created and has only been a part of modern life since that time. But the Web that most of us use today is very different from what was first intended. Breaking the brief history of the Web into two broad time periods—Web 1.0 and Web 2.0—will help you comprehend this better.

What is Web 1.0-Read Only (1990-2004)

Tim Berners-Lee was hard at work creating the protocols for the World Wide Web in 1989 at CERN in Geneva. His notion? was to develop open, decentralized protocols that permitted the sharing of knowledge from any location on Earth.

From 1990 until 2004, Berners-invention, Lee's now referred to as "Web 1.0," underwent its initial development. Web 1.0, also known as the read-only web, was primarily made up of static websites that were controlled by businesses. There was almost no user involvement, and people hardly ever created content.

What is Web 2.0: Read-Write (2004-now)

Social media platforms' introduction in 2004 marked the start of the Web 2.0 era. The web developed into a read-write medium rather than a read-only one. Instead of offering users material, businesses started to offer platforms where users could exchange user-generated content and communicate with one another.

As more individuals went online, a small number of leading businesses started to hold a disproportionate percentage of the traffic and value produced on the internet. The business model based on advertising was also created by Web 2.0. Users may generate content, but they didn't own it or get paid when it was made.

What is Web 2.0 Monetization and Security

Many well-known apps in the web2 world follow a typical pattern throughout their life cycles. Consider a few of the apps you use frequently and consider how the following examples may relate to those apps.

Monetization of apps

Considers how popular apps like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube were in their early years compared to how they are now. Typically, the procedure looks somewhat like this:

• A business releases an app

• It accepts as many people as it can

• The user base is thus made profitable.

When a company or developer releases a well-liked app, the user interface is frequently highly smooth as the app's popularity grows. They are initially able to get traction quickly because of this.

Many software companies initially give monetization little thought. They only pay attention to user retention and growth, but eventually, they must start making a profit.

They must also take outside investors' contributions into the account. The limitations of accepting things like venture money frequently have a detrimental impact on the lifespan and ultimately the user experience of many applications that we use today.

Investors in a company that is developing an application frequently anticipate a return on investment in the range of tens or hundreds of times what they invested.

This means that the business is frequently pressured to follow one of two paths: selling personal data or running advertisements, rather than pursuing some sustainable model of growth that they can sustain somewhat organically.

A lot of web2 firms, including Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others, use more data to create more individualized advertisements. More clicks result from this, which raises ad revenue. The core functionality of the web as we know and use it today is built around the exploitation and centralization of user data.

Security

Applications running on Web 2 frequently suffer data breaches. Even websites that track these breaches and notify users when their data has been compromised exist.

You have no control over your data in web2 or how it is stored. In actuality, businesses frequently collect and store user data without the users' permission. The businesses in charge of these platforms then become the owners and controllers of all of this data.

Users who reside in nations where the negative effects of free expression must be considered are also in danger.

If a government believes a person is expressing an opinion that contradicts its propaganda, it frequently shut down servers or seizes bank accounts. Governments may easily intervene, control, or shut down programs as necessary thanks to centralized servers.

Governments frequently get involved in banking since it is also computerized and centralized. When there is turbulence, high inflation, or other political instability, they can block access to bank accounts or restrict access to money.

By completely reimagining how we construct and interact with applications from the ground up, Web3 seeks to address many of these issues.

What is Web 3.0?

The third generation of web technologies is known as Web 3.0 (Web3). The World Wide Web, commonly referred to as the web, serves as the basic building block of the internet by offering website and application services.

There isn't a single, accepted definition of Web 3.0 because it is continually changing and being defined. However, it is evident that Web 3.0 means to emphasize decentralized applications and utilizes blockchain-based technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will both be used in Web 3.0 to enable smarter, more adaptive applications.

The idea of a semantic web is another element that is included in the evolving explanation of Web 3.0. Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee is one of many who has pushed for semantic technology to be incorporated into the web.

The move from the first web, Web 1.0, to Web 2.0 took more than ten years, and it is anticipated that Web 3.0's complete implementation and reshaping of the web will take just as long, if not longer.

If the direction of change is followed from Web 1.0, a static information provider where users read websites but infrequently interacted with them, to Web 2.0, an interactive and social web enabling user collaboration, it can be assumed that Web 3.0 will alter both how websites are created and how users interact with them. "Web3 Crypto" is a new wave of cryptocurrencies aiming at making Web3's decentralized ideal a reality.

What are Web3 cryptos?

A cryptocurrency linked to Web3 may provide services previously provided by cloud providers, including as computing, bandwidth, storage, identity, and hosting.

Because of the increasing rise of cryptocurrencies and Web3, engineers have been attempting to make both technologies more scalable, safe, and efficient. Web3 is frequently referenced in conjunction with cryptocurrencies since they share the fundamental ideals of decentralization and equal access.

How does Web 3.0 function?

The Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) standard governs the design and delivery of webpages with Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 technologies. With Web 3.0, HTML will still be a core layer, but how it relates to data sources and where those data sources are located may differ from past web generations.

In the Web 2.0 age, the majority of websites and almost all applications rely on some kind of centralized database to deliver data and support functionality. With Web 3.0, applications and services employ a decentralized blockchain in place of a centralized database. The fundamental notion behind blockchain is that there is a type of distributed consensus rather than an arbitrary central authority.

In the blockchain and Web 3.0 communities, the idea of a decentralized autonomous organization is an emerging form of governance (DAO). With a DAO, Web 3.0 technologies and communities offer a type of self-governance in an effort to move away from centralized control over platform operations.

More so than with fiat money, Web 3.0 also functions fundamentally with cryptocurrencies. The use of cryptocurrencies, which are all built and enabled on top of blockchain technology, enables finance and the use of a decentralized form of payment throughout Web 3.0.

The IPv4 addressing space was extensively used to create both Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. There is a need for more internet addresses in Web 3.0 as a result of the web's tremendous growth over the years, which is what IPv6 offers.

Key elements of Web 3.0

• The design of Web 3.0 may take into account ubiquitous characteristics, semantic web, and AI.
• The rationale for employing AI is to give people faster access to more accurate data.
• An AI-powered website should be able to sort through the data and present the information it believes a particular user will find useful.
• AI might be used to distinguish between authentic and fake results, providing outcomes akin to social media and social bookmarking but without negative feedback.
• Virtual assistants, a component that is already becoming popular as an aspect integrated into a device or through third-party apps, will also be introduced by an artificially intelligent web.
• The goal of the semantic web is to organize and store data in a way that can be used to teach a system what a given piece of information means.
•  In order to create and distribute better content, a website should be able to comprehend the words used in search queries in the same manner that a human would.
• AI will be used in this system as well; the semantic web will teach the computer what the data means, and AI will then utilize the knowledge.

The following are a few crucial aspects of Web 3.0 that help define what the third generation of the web is expected to be all about:

Decentralized: Web 3.0 will be decentralized as opposed to the first two generations of the web, where governance and applications were mostly centralized. A distributed method without a centralized authority will enable applications and services.

Based on blockchain: Blockchain is the tool that makes it possible to build decentralized applications and services. In contrast to centralized database infrastructure, blockchain uses a distributed way to disseminate data and connections between services.

• In a decentralized environment, blockchain can also offer an immutable ledger of transactions and activities, assisting in the provision of verified authenticity.

Cryptocurrency support: The use of cryptocurrencies, which primarily replace fiat money, is a major component of Web 3.0 services.

Autonomous and artificially intelligent: A key component of Web 3.0 is increased automation, which will mostly be driven by AI.

Web 3.0 applications

With blockchain at its core, Web 3.0 makes it possible for an expanding range of new apps and services, such as the following:

NFT: Nonfungible Tokens (NFTs) are individually unique tokens kept in a blockchain with a cryptographic hash.

DeFi: Decentralized blockchain technology is being utilized as the foundation for decentralized finance (DeFi), a new use case for Web 3.0 that allows for the provision of financial services beyond the constraints of conventional centralized banking infrastructure.

Cryptocurrency: A new universe of money that strives to be distinct from the traditional world of fiat cash is being created through Web 3.0 apps like cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

dApp: Decentralized applications (dApps) are programs that run programmatically and are logged in an immutable ledger. They are built on top of the blockchain and use smart contracts to facilitate service delivery.

Chain crossing points: In the Web 3.0 age, there are numerous blockchains, and cross-chain bridges provide some kind of connectivity between them.

DAOs: DAOs are poised to potentially take on the role of Web 3.0's governing bodies, offering some structure and decentralized governance.

How to invest in Web3?

• Find work with a web3 company.

• As an investment, buy cryptocurrencies from expanding Web3 companies.

• Mine cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

• Utilize Web3 projects that reward you for staking, playing, and other activities.

• Keep an eye out for the cryptocurrency community AirDrops.

• Search for various DeFi and Metaverse projects.

Web 3.0 Vs Web 2.0

The web's first two generations were replaced by web 3.0.

Tim Berners-Lee created and described the first iteration of the web, often known as Web 1.0, in 1989. Basic connectivity and access across static web pages were the focus of Web 1.0. Up until about 2004, when Tim O'Reilly helped develop the phrase "Web 2.0," the first generation of the internet was in use.

Websites and applications that leverage user-generated content for end users are referred to as "Web 2.0." Many websites today use Web 2.0, which primarily emphasizes user interaction and collaboration. More universal network connectivity and communication methods are other key components of Web 2.0.

Web 3.0 is different from Web 2.0 in that it is more focused on using technologies like machine learning and AI to supply each user with appropriate material rather than just stuff that other end users have provided.

Users can essentially contribute to and occasionally participate in on-site content using Web 2.0, but these tasks will likely be handled by the semantic web and AI technology in Web 3.0. In contrast to Web 2.0's centralization, Web 3.0 places a heavy emphasis on decentralized services and power.

Web3 limitations

Web3 has many advantages, but there are still several restrictions that the ecosystem needs to overcome if it is to grow.

Accessibility

Important Features of Web3, such as Sign-in with Ethereum, are already freely used by anyone. However, many people still find the relative cost of transactions to be exorbitant. Due to high transaction costs, Web3 is less likely to be used in developing countries with lower levels of affluence. These issues are being resolved on Ethereum via layer 2 scaling techniques and network updates. The technology is prepared, but in order to make Web3 widely accessible, layer 2 adoptions must increase.

User encounter

Web3 currently has a too-high technical entry hurdle. Users need to be able to navigate confusing user interfaces, comprehend security issues, and comprehend sophisticated technical documents. This is being addressed by wallet providers in particular, but more development is required before Web3 is widely adopted.

Education

In contrast to Web 2.0, Web3 presents new paradigms that call for acquiring new mental models. A similar push for education took place in the late 1990s as Web1.0 gained popularity; proponents of the internet employed a variety of instructional strategies to teach the public, ranging from straightforward metaphors (the information highway, browsers, and web surfing) to television broadcasts. Web3 is not challenging, but it is unique. Its success depends on educational programs that inform Web2 users of these Web3 principles.

Through our Translation Program, which aims to translate crucial Ethereum content into as many languages as we can, Ethereum.org supports Web3 education.

Centralized Infrastructure

The Web3 environment is still developing and changing quickly. Because of this, it presently mostly relies on centralized infrastructure (GitHub, Twitter, Discord, etc). Many Web3 businesses are scrambling to close these gaps, but creating dependable infrastructure takes time.

Web3 FAQs

Why is Web 3.0 and Why Does it matter?

A group of cutting-edge tools and technologies known as Web 3.0 are being used to create distributed, decentralized apps. The basic components of a web application, such as tools for file storage, data storage, name resolution, identity, computation, and even code hosting, are all included in this.Web3 aims to avoid watchdogs or government agencies telling you which services you can and cannot use.

What is Web3 used for?

Users can engage with decentralized applications created using blockchain technology using Web3 browsers. The next-generation internet will be open to anyone and provide benefits thanks to Web3 technologies like distributed ledgers, AI, Metaverse, and others.

What are examples of Web3?

Brave Browser, Decentraland, Storj, STEPN, and ySign are some current examples of web 3.0.

Is Web3 a crypto?

Cryptocurrencies and blockchains are the foundation of Web3. However, the decentralized web also relies on technologies like AR, VR, IoT, and others unrelated to blockchain or digital currencies.