Change is the only constant thing. The internet world has also constantly evolved over the years, since the 1990s, when the WorldWideWeb first came into use. That evolution is categorized as Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and lastly the Web 3.0, which withholds the future.

First, let's see how Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 functioned, and then we will walk down the pathway of greater change.

Web 1.0: 1991 - 2004

It was the era where the consumers were able to intake limited content that was fed into the network by the developers, through the website, in the form of simple text or images.

Web 1.0 was a content delivery network (CDN) that enabled showcasing the piece of information on the websites. The content delivered was static, non-interactive, and in a read-only format. Data and content were delivered from a static file system of the browser rather than a database.

Web 2.0: The present

We are currently using the 2nd version of the WWW, where everyone can create, consume or be the mediator of the content that is contained in the network.

It is a much simpler, and easier version with a smooth flow of interactions. Since the creation of content became easier, we found a way to monetize the same. Today, each content that is created is worth of interactions or 'clicks' and the number of such interactions is worth some actual money.

Data is the oil and gold of the present generation, and this data is contained in the WorldWideWeb. Surely, this 'data, which is the most important resource in today's time, deserves to be secured.

The present structure of the web is centralized and this data is owned by front-liners of the race, such as Twitter, Facebook, Google. The exploitation and centralization of user data are a great challenge when it comes to user security. These can be termed as data breaches, which are quite common in the current scenario. One of the biggest examples is the LinkedIn data breach when in June 2021, the data breaching activity impacted more than 90% of the users. A hacker, ‘God User’, scraped data sets of around 500 million users by disrupting the site and user API. This included personal information to an extent that was easy access to many hackers to leak out the privacy of the users. There are many such examples of data breaches, which is one of the major loopholes of Web 2.0.

Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology, which means that there is no single node that once attacked can leak out the privacy of the users. Also, they are derived from extremely complicated encryption algorithms. Web 3.0 works on this protocol and hence, is the ultimate answer for our privacy concerns.

Here's where change was required and we are living in the era of great change. Web 3.0 is what comes up with more flexible, trusted, and secure browsing. This was possible mainly because of the decentralization of the internet.

Web 3.0: The future unfolds here

The concept of web 3.0 is different from the ongoing semantic web and is based on blockchain technology. The concept revolves around the concept of a deconcentrated internet. It is revolutionary because, at the moment, Web 2.0 operates in a module where all data is stored in the hands of Big Tech, and web 3.0 assumes power distribution. This provides power, data security, privacy, scalability, and enhanced Internet security.

One feature of Web3 that benefits most from established funds, also known as Defi, is that it performs IRL financial activities in the blockchain without the assistance of banks or governments.

Brief of Web3.js and Ethereum

Ethereum is a nationally distributed blockchain that supports smart contracts. Intelligent contract byte codes are written in Solidity language and integrated into Ethereum Virtual Machines (EVM). Ethereum allows external applications to build and operate on its network.

Web3.js is a collection of libraries that allow you to connect to the local or remote Ethereum node using HTTP, IPC, or WebSocket. This is the local Ethereum network or live chain. It is also used to access information about Ether tokens and coins. We may also use the application and access it using Web3. This library enables you to connect JavaScript-based preferences to the Ethereum network using HTTP, IPC, and WebSockets.

Below is a list of a few projects based on Web3

  1. Polkadot is built to connect private and consortium chains, public and permissionless networks, oracles, and future technologies. Polkadot facilitates an internet where independent blockchains can exchange information and transactions in a trustless way via the Polkadot relay chain.
  2. Kusama is built by the same teams as Polkadot, using nearly the same code and tools. Kusama brings multiple blockchains together into one sharded network, freeing developers from the siloes created by legacy blockchain networks.
  3. Polkadot’s Messaging Scheme is a subset of the Polkadot protocol. It defines how messages can be passed among para-chains with no additional trust assumptions beyond the economic security of the relay chain.

There is also a list of a few Web3 Open Source projects worth taking a look at

We are living in an era where the web protocol is changing, and to understand this change, we must have real and complete information about what is coming to us in a few years. Some large companies and financial firms have already grabbed this opportunity for a change and with no surprise, Web 3.0 will soon be leading the world of networking.