The major differences between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0
If you’ve been on the internet lately, the words ‘Web 3.0’ are essentially buzzwords, especially in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. This article will help to shed some light on what Web 3.0 is about and the differences between Web 3.0 and the web as it is today.
Before getting into Web 3.0, we must first understand what Web 2.0 is. The internet, as we know it, has been through many milestones before reaching the stage it is in now. Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 are generations of internet services with distinct variations in how users interact with the internet.
What is Web 2.0?
To put it simply, Web 2.0 describes the current phase in the evolution of the internet. It is simply a term that describes a shift in the way the internet is used. During this phase of the internet, the users of the internet actively participated in the creation of content. The second-generation web did not focus on modifying any technical specifications. On the contrary, it emphasizes changing the design of web pages, the ways of using them, and interactivity. Web 2.0 encouraged collaboration and interaction among users, thereby setting the stage for e-commerce and social media platforms.
What is Web 3.0?
Web 3.0 represents the next iteration or phase in the evolution of the web/Internet and it has been predicted to be as disruptive and represent as big a paradigm shift in the way the internet will operate. Web 3.0 is built upon the core concepts of decentralization, openness, and greater user utility.
Here are some of the crucial highlights about Web 3.0 which would help in differentiating it from Web 2.0:
Decentralization:
This is a major feature of Web 3.0. Web 3.0 will provide access to connected data in a decentralized way, different from Web 2.0, which primarily stores data in centralized locations. Because the information would be found based on its content in web 3.0, it could be stored in multiple locations simultaneously and hence be decentralized. This would break down the massive databases currently held by Internet giants like Facebook (now Meta) and Google and would hand greater control to users. This feature will address the security and privacy concerns such as the sale of personal data, a concern that is rampant in the way the internet runs today.
AI & ML:
Artificial intelligence & Machine learning algorithms have become powerful enough to create useful, indeed sometimes life-saving, predictions and actions. When layered on top of new decentralized data structures giving access to a wealth of data, the potential applications go far beyond targeted advertising into areas like precision materials, drug design, and climate modeling
Openness:
In Web 2.0, the software for a majority of these platforms is owned and maintained by a single organization while web 3.0 will comprise software built by an open and accessible community of developers and executed in full view of the world.
Trustless:
In addition to decentralization and is based upon open-source software, Web 3.0 will also be trustless (i.e., the network will allow participants to interact directly without going through a trusted intermediary). As a result, Web 3.0 applications will run on blockchains or decentralized peer-to-peer networks, or a combination of both—such decentralized apps are often referred to as dApps.
Permissionless
Permissionless (meaning that anyone can participate without authorization from a governing body).
Conclusion
Web 3.0 as it is conceptualized will revolutionize the way the internet is used and even though its full potential has not been implemented yet, it is something to watch out for.
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