What are the differences between Web2 and Web3? How Is the Future of the Internet Moving?

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2 Mar 2024

Web3, which is linked to the cryptocurrency industry and blockchain, is attracting more and more attention. Here are the reasons, benefits and consequences of the transition from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0.
Recently, discussions about the future of the internet have been gaining momentum as important technology companies have entered the Web3 field. In particular, the steps taken by Web2 giants in the field of blockchain give signals about how the future of the internet will progress. In this guide, many discussions in this field, including the differences between Web2 and Web3, will be discussed, and the development process of the internet will be discussed.

What is Web 1.0 (Web1)?

The Internet is seen as one of the most important technological revolutions that created today's world. However, this revolution went through many evolutions until it took its current form. Web 1.0, which is the first version of the Internet and is considered the place where evolution began, is considered the pioneer of this innovation. Web 1.0 was in most respects a much less advanced version of the current Internet. Because Web1 basically created a way to deliver content and information to websites.

Web 1.0 Usage Areas and Examples

Today it is not possible to make a clear distinction between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 . After all, neither are officially used terms. However, in general, Web 2.0 shows various changes compared to Web 1.0. For example, in Web 1.0, ads were much less allowed, while many websites banned ads. Web1 had a system consisting mostly of static pages and running on web servers with ISP hosting. In Web 1.0, since the content on the internet was provided from a single center , it did not allow the content to be changed. Additionally, website designs were also quite limited .
Did you know these?
Websites in the Web 1.0 era are mostly just for reading.

Disadvantages of Web1

The Web 1.0 era of the Internet brought less returns to users. For this reason, many areas remained limited, from the content added to the internet to page design. For example, in the Web1 era, websites such as Wikipedia to which users could contribute did not emerge. The lack of developers in Web 1.0, the ancestor of the Internet, should also be taken into consideration when evaluating this period. Additionally, in Web 1.0, users only consumed content without seeing the application source codes.

Differences between Web2 and Web3: What is Web 2.0 (Web2)?

Web 2.0, also known as Web2, is one of the terms that came into use especially in the dot-com era. This area, which reflects the more sophisticated version of the Internet, is important in understanding the differences between Web2 and Web3. Web 2.0, which brought the possibility of external intervention to the Internet world, offered a structure that generates income, unlike the websites in Web 1.0. Especially the high user interaction provided by social media platforms has made it easier to earn income online. Moreover , companies providing services in this field have an important place in today's world with their high market shares.

Web 2.0 Usage Areas and Examples

Websites designated as Web 2.0 are more aesthetic compared to Web1. For example, these sites are much more flexible in allowing users to have a say in the design field. Additionally, many application codes are open source on Web2. Open source code means that almost anyone with technological expertise can browse, analyze and even modify it.

While it was seen that the internet was corporatized with Web2, the end user also benefited from this business. In addition, end users now have more say. For example, on shopping sites such as Amazon, users can comment on the products listed on the site. In fact, civil and social movements can easily collect donations through social media platforms. On sites such as Wikipedia, any user is directly allowed to change the content on the platform.

Disadvantages of Web2

Although the Internet's transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 added many advantageous features, it also brought with it some disadvantages . One of these disadvantages was institutional ones, because while they helped the development of the Internet, they sometimes created potential obstacles. For example, platforms such as Twitter or Facebook have often been the center of controversy with their rights to censor ideas and information that violate community rules . These social media giants even faced various lawsuits due to their collection of personal data.
Additionally, those who use payment services on Web2 must comply with certain guidelines. If these standards are not complied with, annoying options such as unilateral payment rejection are seen. Long story short, the differences between Web2 and Web3 are based on centralization. Because Web 2.0 today is managed by companies that have high technical capacity and require adherence to a set of rules .

What is Web 3.0 (Web3)?

Web3, also known as Web 3.0 , is the buzzword that is frequently mentioned in technology news of recent times. While some see this as a matter of temporary speculation, others refer to the fact that Web3 actually has solid foundations that provide its popularity . These solid foundations are based on the stronger, more secure and decentralized structure of the internet.
The term Web3 was first used by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood in 2014 . Comparing Web 3.0 with the current version of the Internet is very important in understanding the differences between Web2 and Web3. Current internet users often access information on servers of third-party companies. Similarly, newly created applications connect to servers of other companies such as Google Cloud or AWS . It seems that Web3, which is thought to be ideal for the Internet, will be dominated by the structure that allows development and use of dApps.
The word Web3 is now also used in mainstream media to describe the internet technology of the future. At this point you're likely to hear of many companies preparing for the arrival of the new and improved internet. The most important thing to remember is that blockchain technology will play a major role in Web3.

Web 3.0 Usage Areas and Examples

Currently, for an app to be considered optimized for Web3, it must leverage blockchain technology. In short, this means that all cryptocurrencies, dApps, DeFi projects, non-fungible tokens (NFT) and DAOs can be added to the list.
In other words, cryptocurrency projects that embrace the concept of decentralization are ready for the expected Web3. This is seen in Bitcoin (BTC) itself, NFT exchanges like OpenSea , cryptocurrency-backed social media platforms like Steemit, and play-to-win platforms like Sweatcoin .

Benefits that Web3 Can Provide

When it comes to the transition to Web 3.0, it seems that the current internet world will gain numerous new features. The critical thing here is who will benefit most from these features. Will there even be a loser in this kind of technological development? If the proposed changes are adopted on a large scale, it is expected to provide great benefits to internet users. However, it is predicted that the power of large technology companies will seriously decrease and this power will be shared with all users.

Can Web3 Be Successful?

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There appear to be many companies that will lose money from the advent of Web 3.0. If Web3's decentralization plans come to fruition, it will undermine the market monopoly of big technology companies. Because these are companies that have adopted a more commercial approach in Web 2.0 and benefited greatly from it. Some important heads of technology companies have stated many times that they are not optimistic about Web 3.0.
Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, previously stated that Web3 seemed like a marketing tactic to him. Additionally, Twitter's former CEO Jack Dorsey also claimed that decentralization was impossible. However, Dorsey claimed that it was not because he was against technology, but that they would not allow big technology companies to lose control of their current power.

Today, it stands out that blockchain technology must become more widespread in order for Web 3.0 to develop and achieve mainstream adoption. In this context, many recent developments point to a positive future. If these positive developments continue, it will be seen that Web3, the future of the Internet, will quickly adapt to our lives.

Differences between Web2 and Web3

Features of Web3 and Differences between Web2 and Web3

There are currently online applications that adhere to Web3 principles, but mass adoption is not yet at the desired level. However, if we consider these applications as examples, it will become easier to have an idea of what the Internet may look like in the near future. Just as Web 2.0 offered further improvement over the static pages of Web 1.0, Web 3.0 should represent a technical advance .
This progress is "data sharing as an alternative to data ownership", which is among the most important features of Web3. Blockchain technology enables all users to verify this information and contribute to the stored information. In addition , it seems that web3 will also host the Metaverse, virtual universes that are already gaining popularity .
Perhaps the most important thing is that smart contract technology will be used in Web3. Because blockchain technology is seen as a critical cornerstone in Web3. Moreover, the strong, secure and decentralized structure mentioned above is powered by this technology. In summary, Web3 represents the creation of an internet form that does not require trust in third parties, reducing the need for third-party people and intermediaries on the Internet today.

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When the differences between Web2 and Web3 are revealed, it seems that Web3 will replace Web2 after a while. Let's take a look at the basic differences between Web2 and Web3 to better understand what they are.

Security

Privacy and confidentiality are among the most important issues in terms of the differences between Web2 and Web3. Privacy is currently one of the top concerns among modern internet users. The issue of privacy on the Internet has been discussed by many news organizations in recent years, and data leaks have been on the agenda many times. As a result, today Web3 has the potential to have stronger privacy than Web2, thanks to blockchain technology.
Thanks to “distributed personal data stores” in Web3, individuals' control over their data increases. Proponents of the Web3 idea state that there will be less need for third-party companies to manage data in this system. However, some also argue that keeping all privacy information on a blockchain and publicly will lead to more privacy problems.

Trust and permission-free structure

Similarly, the use of smart contracts paves the way for the construction of an internet without the need for third-party trust. This means that individuals will not need to trust third-party actors. For example, it is possible in the future of the internet to carry out transactions automatically and based on features encrypted in the smart contract. With Web3, the permissionless structure of the internet gives every user the right to blockchain transaction verification. In addition, buying and selling features are actively working without the need for third-party permission.

Are You Ready for the “New Internet”?

The differences between Web2 and Web3 show the need for a new type of internet much more clearly. However, since Web3 is still in its development phase, it is not clear what its exact outcome will be. However, it is also obvious that it has features such as complete decentralization, which seems almost certain to happen.
Therefore, it is likely that strong returns will begin from the Web3 field in a short time. Significant changes are expected in internet interaction over the next decade. There are already sounds of a new internet revolution that is exciting and full of opportunities.