Major Differences between web 2 and web 3
Unless you're somehow living under a rock, I bet the web 3 hype has caught up to you in one way or the other.
Its getting quite clear that web 3 is here to stay and isnt going anywhere any time soon, so while we're at it, why dont we further unblur the line between web 2 and web 3 so its more clear what we're getting ourselves into.
I definetly find the entire web 3 ecosystem and its applications intruiging so Im currently learning more about web 3 through the blockgames Nestcoin program by zuri.
In this article I aim to define some major differences Ive found between web2 and its successor, web 3.
Decentralization
This is the major driving force I'd say of the entire web 3 ecosystem as it basically changes the narrative of the web as we know it today.
A decentralized web relies on a peer-to-peer network built upon a community of users. This group's own internet-connected devices would host websites or applications, rather than a group of high-powered servers. Every website or application gets distributed across hundreds of nodes located on different devices.
This brings about lots of possibilities and opportunities that were absent in web 2, for one right now the web as we know it is run/ controlled by mostly big tech company platforms: Google, Facebook, Youtube , you name them, and what this means is that all the data from them is centralized in their servers.
web 3 breaks this cycle by distributing the service across multiple nodes(devices) this gives the power back to the people as no one person is responsible for the control of the entire network and by doing so web3 is conceptualized as giving ownership of data back to end-users through decentralization.
Technology
while decentraliztion pays a key role in web 3 , different technologies make up the web 3 ecosystem such as AI, Iot, AR and VR and a combination of all these.
The process of decentralization is made possible through one particular technology, which is The blockchain.
A blockchain is a distributed database that is shared among the nodes of a computer network. so basically a Blockchain is essentially a chain of blocks. Blocks will contain the specific information which is exchanged between any participating nodes (computer or any user equipment by which user is participating) in a P2P (peer-to-peer) network.
Each block is connected to the previous block because it is containing hash from the previous block and that's how chain of block is formed. The data in block could be specific information for which the blockchain is designed, for instance, if it is talking about financial transaction, the block would be containing information related to exchange of money. It is this technology that enables decentralization of the web and builds upon the protocols of web 2.
The client side technologies remain the same in both web 2 and web 3, mainly javascript based but on the back end of web 3 , more technologies are introduced to enable use of blockchain tech such as smart contracts used in dApps (decentralized applications).
Applications
The applications of web 3 will differ tremendously to that of web 2. while web2 was mainly an era of interaction, beingg able to create and somewhat distribute content on the web, web 3 has brought abou loads of opportunities all focused on the end user which include:
ownership of data: end-users will regain the complete ownership and control of their data and have the security of encryption. Information could then be shared on permission/need or case-by-case basis.
Elimination of a central point of control: The blockchains like Ethereum provide a trusted platform in which the data is fully encrypted, and the rules are unbreakable. Hence, the intermediaries are eliminated from the equation. Apple and Google will no longer be in control of the user data. No Government or entity will have the ability to kill services and sites, and no individual can control the identities of others. the control lies in the hands of the community.
Permissionless: Anybody can create an address and interact with the blockchain network. The authority to access permissionless blockchains cannot be overstated. The users will be not be restricted on account of their income, geography, orientation, gender or a series of other demographical and sociological factors. The digital assets and wealth can be transferred efficiently, quickly, cross-border, anywhere globally.
uninterrupted service: the suspension of account and denial of distributed services are reduced dramatically. Since there is no single point of failure, the service disruption will be a bare minimum. The data will be stored on the distributed nodes to ensure redundancy, and multiple backups will prevent seizure or server failure.
these are just some application and benefits of blockchain technology in web 3 previously absent in the web 2 ecosystem.
There is much more to be seen in the web3 ecosystem and these are very much still the early days, but much like web 2 as the technology keeps advancing we will continually see newer use cases further drawing the line between web 2 and web 3.