Summary

Web 2? Web 3? What? You might be wondering how many “Webs” there are going to be, and what are the differences between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. Before we dive in, a little backstory: In 2021 a staggering $189.3 billion in revenue was collected from Web 2.0 advertising. The ‘traditional’ internet is certainly a good way to successfully deploy your business, as it can attract tons of potential customers. But if you're not a giant corporation with a seven-figure marketing budget, the competition in the Web 2.0 market can be tough.

Since Web 3.0 is still in the earlier stages of development, it has a lower barrier to entry than the usual internet that we know of today. Your business can still gain a tremendous advantage over competitors by being one of the first movers. Web 3.0 prioritizes privacy and progressive technologies such as blockchain, AI search engines, crypto domains, and much more.

Key Takeaways: Web 2.0

• Web 2.0 consists of centralized systems: services, websites, platforms, etc
• The driving force of Web 2.0 is advertising (and profits made from it)
• Web 2.0 inevitably puts user’s privacy at risk
• Open source software greatly contributed to the Web 2.0 rapid growth

Web 2.0 Explained

As the name suggests, Web 2.0 is a second generation of the internet. There's no exact technical breakthrough that sets it apart from Web 1.0 though. In a nutshell, Web 2.0 is different from its first generation by making the interaction process easier and more extensive for both the user and the developer. It might sound quirky, but that’s why we’re here! Let us explain:

So, Web 1.0 was just a bunch of articles linked together into one web, and the only thing you could do there was read these articles. Web 2.0 is a step ahead, as you can now actively interact with most web pages and, what's more important, create content by yourself. Because of this, Web 2.0 is frequently referred to as a ‘read-write’ web, in contrast to the ‘read-only’ Web 1.0. Web 2.0 is the internet as most know it today.

It's pointless to list everything you can do on the current internet since the list would be far too vast. Instead, let's dig deeper into Web 2.0's guiding principles to better understand how it differs from Web 3.0.

The first thing that comes to mind whenever you speak about the internet or social media is ads. Yes, countless (sometimes annoying) ads everywhere you look. Advertising is indeed a huge sector of Web 2.0 revenues. Partially, it shapes the logic of the internet as a whole.

First of all, almost everything on the internet is designed to grab your attention by any means possible, whether it be social media or an informative website about crypto.

Secondly, you don't have any anonymity on the internet. That's just the way it is, and these days you either accept it or you don’t. In the world of targeted advertising, Google will likely know more about your preferences than your friends. All of that is done to sell your information to advertisers.

In addition to that, Web 2.0 is a centralized structure. It is regulated by an institutional authority deep in the technological features of the internet, such as domains (ICANN).

From time to time you hear about the effects of this centralization: censorship in social media, government intervention and cooperation with some platforms, and so on. Web 2.0's centralized structure was designed to safeguard users from ‘harmful’ content, but as we know, it's sometimes very hard to draw that line.

Lastly, the true keystone of Web 2.0 is open source software. It is designed to be freely accessible to everyone and to solve various problems through user contributions. And you've probably used open-source software without even realizing it. Python, Linux, WordPress — these are all open source.

Key Takeaways: Web 3.0

• Web 3.0 is a decentralized network of smart contracts and other blockchain-empowered applications
• The core values of Web 3.0 are decentralization, respect for user’s privacy, true ownership of digital assets, and an anti-ads policy
• Web 3.0 embraces emerging technologies and actively implements them in practice
• Web 3.0 aims to build a distinct “economy” of its own

“Web 3.0 transforms the niche into an incubator for innovative ideas and a testing ground for futuristic technology.”

Web 3.0 Explained

Similar to Web 2.0 it's quite challenging to define Web 3.0 precisely. Think of it more as an idea and an innovative technological movement.

Primarily, Web 3.0 is a decentralized network of smart contracts, DAOs (decentralized autonomous organization), and DaaS (desktop as a service) that can be accessed through Web 3.0 browser extensions, such as Brave, Osiris, etc. Some of these Web 3.0 ‘websites’ can be accessed from the traditional internet too.

The decentralized nature of Web 3.0 is its main strength. Since no institutional authority or governments are involved in the creation or regulation of Web 3.0, developers and content producers can enjoy their freedom of expression and essentially are not being pressured by strict regulations in any way.

Web 3.0 is also very much geared towards letting each person retain the ownership of their own ‘cash’, rather than giving it out to banks that may or may not be around in the future. You’ve probably heard of people buying and paying for things with Bitcoin, Ether, Tether and other cryptocurrencies. Although these currencies are slowly becoming recognized as official payment methods, with crypto, the power and decision making of how an individual’s money is spent is in their hands only - not a financial institution.

Another significant advantage of Web 3.0 is anonymity. There's virtually no need to disclose personal information. Most of the time, services won't collect any data about you. Without a broad ‘portfolio’ on each client, targeted advertising will gradually fade away on the internet of the future.

Web 3.0 also makes extensive use of cutting-edge technology like side-chains, layer 2 solutions, state-of-the-art protocols, and AI search engines. It transforms the niche into an incubator for innovative ideas and a testing ground for futuristic technology. However, when it comes to Web 3.0, not everything is as smooth as you may expect. The ecosystem of Web 3.0 is not always completely user-friendly, which might scare off a couple newcomers. The good news is that technology scales and improves quickly, and it’s clear that the interest in and demand for Web 3.0 products is high.

There are a few obstacles that the internet of the future is working to overcome before becoming widely used and appreciated. Even so, many businesses, industries and individuals are taking the leap into the Web 3.0 world.

Will you dare to pioneer the wild west of Web 3.0?

If your answer is yes — we love to work with people and businesses like you.

We know that creating a functional app from scratch takes a lot of work and creativity. And whether you’re developing a blockchain app or outlining a smart contract, we will guide you through all the hardships of such an amazing yet challenging project!

Our blockchain development agency is based in the Washington, DC metro area, and our team is available for both Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 apps development. Drop us a line, we’d love to chat with you!