Let's begin from the very basics. What is the Web? Web is the short form for World Wide Web. These are interconnected pages which are accessible through the internet. Web and internet are not the same, Web is an application built on top of the internet.
A website is a collection of pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and is published on the web server. Think of domain name as the house address you are have and website as the house itself. Now, to build the house you need space, that’s the server space you’re using to build the website. Once you build the house, people should know the exact location, that’s the house address and in the case of a website, it’s the domain name.
Now you have a good understanding of what a website is, let's talk about Web 3.0. Ever wondered why it's 3.0? What happened to 1.0 and 2.0? These are basically versions. The websites we see today is an evolution which happened over the years. It was built with iterations and these iterations are what 1.0 and 2.0 refer to.
Web 1.0
Web 1.0 was the first phase of the world wide web. These were static websites with lots of information often referred to as read only web. Here the owner broadcast their information on their websites and the users were only allowed to search for information and read it. These webpages used basic HTML to structure their pages.
Web 2.0
Web 2.0 describes the current version of the internet, which has more user-generated content and usability for users compared to web 1.0. This is mainly because there is a higher level of participation to share information and interconnectedness among participants. This allows participants to engage in experience rather than passively view information.
Some of the Web 2.0 sites include Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, etc. which all have transformed the way the same information is shared, viewed and delivered. The social aspect of the Internet, which is our social media, allows us to engage and interact with one another by sharing our thoughts, perspectives, and opinions.
Web 3.0
Web 3.0 is the third evolution to our web technology. Web 3.0 is still evolving and is being defined which has a strong emphasis on decentralised applications and makes extensive use of blockchain based technologies. It will also make use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to adapt to the system to get more intelligent applications.
HTML will continue to be a foundational layer for Web 3.0. But the way HTML connects with other data sources and where these data sources could reside will be different compared to web 2.0. Another implementation to web 3.0 is the concept of decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO). Instead of a central authority which governs the platform, with DAO, there will be a form of self-governance through a decentralised approach.
Web 3.0 will also be compliant with cryptocurrency. Instead of paying for goods and services through fiat currency which is seen in web 2.0, now the users have the option to pay in a decentralised form across the web with the use of cryptocurrency, built under blockchain technology.
Talking about the design, three-dimensional graphics will be used extensively in websites and services. Computer games, Building Guides, eCommerce space and more are all common examples of this.
Hence, Web 3.0 is essential because it allows businesses to streamline their operations by cutting out third party and directly connecting computers. This improves communication and collaboration between employees, partners, and customers, making it a better efficient system. Web 3.0 can be the next phase of our Internet, where it becomes an entire universe of its own.