Web 3.0: Another Evolution of the Web

The World Wide Web is one of the most important inventions of modern times. The Web revolutionized how people communicate. People can virtually visit their friends and family who live thousands of miles away with the touch of a button, and children and adults with limited educational resources can access material and information from prestigious learning institutions. Web 3.0 will further revolutionize the world by creating an open and decentralized Internet.

What is Web 3.0?

Before defining Web 3.0, let’s examine how the Web has evolved. Web 1.0 gave users the ability to create static websites with little to no interactivity and communicate via email. Web 2.0 is the modern version of the Web in use today. It allows users to create interactive websites with a global reach. The interactivity of Web 2.0 opened the door for the age of social media. Social media companies like Facebook (Meta), Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram allow people to share their lives with others and travel abroad without leaving their homes. Web 3.0, also called the Semantic Web, decentralizes the Web and makes it more private and secure.

Features of Web 3.0

• Open-sourced – the Web will change from a privatized network to an open-source network created by the community. An open-source network allows all users to view the source code and contribute to the success of the Web.

• Semantic Web – uses machine-interpretable metadata. Semantics allows machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve user experience by showing more accurate, relevant content.

• Decentralization – the Web will change to a network of independently owned private computers connected using blockchain technology.

• Permissionless – Anyone can participate or join without requirements or permission.

• Data Ownership – each user retains ownership of their data and decides its use.

Web 3.0 Development Stack

Web 3.0 uses a broad range of development technologies. Developers can use the following development stack:

• Blockchain – is the main foundation of web 3.0’s decentralized system. It provides the privacy and security protocols needed to prevent hackers from accessing the system.

• Smart Contracts – are pieces of code that reside on the blockchain. They define the logic of the applications on the decentralized network.

• Solidity – is an object-oriented programming language used to create smart contracts and dApps.

• Web3.js – is a collection of Ethereum JavaScript libraries. Developers can use the web3.js API to interact with local or remote Ethereum nodes using HTTP, IPC, or WebSocket.

• dApps – decentralized applications (dApps) are digital applications that run on a blockchain. They are open-sourced apps which means that their data and records are public.

When Will Web 3.0 be Implemented?

There is no implementation date for Web 3.0. There are some issues with decentralization and security. However, there are some Web 3.0 technology applications currently in use.

• Chatbots – use artificial intelligence to simulate human conversation. Machine learning enables chatbots to improve communication and response accuracy.

• Wearables – are electronic devices worn on the body. Wearables use artificial technology to track and monitor information in real-time.

• Wolfram Alpha – uses external data from websites and books to answer computational questions. It uses natural language technology to mimic the actions of a tutor.

Conclusion

Web 3.0 is the next generation of the Web that creates an open and more secure Internet. The open-sourced nature of Web 3.0 gives control to its users. Users unfamiliar or uncomfortable with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency may hesitate to adopt Web 3.0. Systematic adoption of Web 3.0 features into the current generation of the Web will help smooth the transition.

References

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