Hi there, you are reading this article from Web2. So what is Web2 and how is it different from its trending successor web3.
To make things clearer, let us take a step back to the original web which existed before Web2. The original web was invented to make it easier for users to source information. So anybody with the right technology could get access to information online by navigating websites. However, these users could not contribute or interact with these websites as they were made up of static webpages. Basically, users could only perform READ operations on the original web.
Then along came the current iteration of the web(Web2). The major difference between the original web and Web2 is interactivity, users are not just able to source information online but are also capable of contributing data to websites. Examples of this interactivity are creating a post on this site and liking a post on Meta(Facebook).In summary, Web2 added WRITE capabilities to the READ capabilities of the original web. Over time, increased user interaction led to an explosion of data and opportunities but Web2 developed drawbacks which has got people (including the inventor of the original web Tim Berners Lee) seeking a new alternative.
Web3 seeks to be an improvement on Web2, two poignant differences are:
Decentralisation
Trust
A lot of data on Web2 is centralised within a few tech companies and have at times been accessed and traded by state and non-state actors. This centralisation means that ownership of user's data lies more with big tech than with the users themselves. Web3 comes with the promise of decentralisation and is actually the core of its existence.
Rather than having data centralised within a few entities, data is stored by multiple entities. Decentralisation is achieved using technologies like blockchain and DAPPs (Decentralised Applications).Decentralisation ensures that a few companies do not dictate the flow of data but a lot more players are involved leading to democratisation of data.
Another difference and advantage of Web3 over Web2 is trust. Due to the fact that data is controlled by a lot of participants via a peer-to-peer network, no member can censor or hide data. This leads to greater freedom and trust. Blockchains are inherently immutable and chronological so data stored in them are consistent and safe from intrusion.
So there you have it, differences that signify that Web3 promises a to be an exciting new version of the web.
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