The web and the internet were not born at the same time. The web was created in 1989, before that internet relevance relied on text and had limited user interaction. The creation of the web changed everything including the direction of the internet. It became a household tool that people can access anytime from a tool used by researchers and technical users.
The Web also known as the World Wide Web (WWW) has changed and evolved a lot since it started. Web technologies keep on evolving and add new ways for their users to interact with each other. So far, there have been three evolutions of the Web: Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0. In today’s era, it is the time of Web 3.0.
Let us dive into the network of Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 and learn everything we need to know about Web 3.0 and what is the difference between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE WEB
WEB 1.0
Web 1.0 is the first version of the internet, known as the “Static Web”. This first generation of the web was designed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee and provided hyperlinks and basic connectivity. This generation only focused on providing information more and less interactively. The users were charged based on the number of pages they used to visit and advertisements on websites while surfing was banned. The users of Web 1.0 could not express their thoughts but were allowed to see the static data on the websites as it was a content delivery network (CDN).
Feature of a Web 1.0:
- CGI (Common Gateway Interface) was used to build pages.
- Static Websites
- Internet users relied on Dial-Up Connections.
WEB 2.0
The term Web 2.0 was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 and it became famous after the Web 2.0 summit held by Tim O’Reilly and Dale Dougherty. It shifted the way the internet was used. Web 2.0 is known as the participative social web. It invented new forms of interactivity, instead of a static website which gave the information to the users. Web 2.0 highlights user-generated content, usability, and social connectivity.
Web 2.0 growth has been moved by innovations such as social networks and mobile internet. During this period, activities like blogging became popular, and social networks like Facebook, and Instagram emerged. Phones have a built-in camera that produces images that were not available and were unimaginable in Web 1.0. This generation is currently being used worldwide and it has revolutionized the web. Web 2.0 made it simple for users to collect and distribute huge amounts of data with just one click. Several new apps are introduced in the app store every day. This generation of the web allows users to create content and distribute it around the global network at any time.
Features of Web 2.0:
- Users can sort information freely.
- Provides dynamic content
- Rich Multimedia
- Personalized the user experience
- Search Engine Optimization became important.
Also Read: How Does Blockchain Resolve Data Privacy & Security Issues?
WEB 3.0
This generation of the web is the latest and most talked about but also loosely defined. Web 3.0 or Web 3 is based on software programs like AI (Artificial Intelligence). It is the evolution of web utilization and provides a trustworthy data-driven UI. Web 3.0 is based on the concept of decentralization, bottom-up design, greater user utility, and openness. It improves user interaction with core capabilities of Web 3.0 such as AI, machine learning, and the Semantic Web.
The third generation gives users control over their data and information. In this information and content are more connected and inescapable. Most applications of this generation will run on blockchain technology. The data on this web is not owned but instead is shared, and the service shows different views for the same data shown.
Main Feature that defines Web 3.0:
- SEMANTIC WEB: This improves the web technologies to create, share and connect content through search and analysis based on the capability to grasp the meaning of the word rather than focusing on keywords and numbers.
- DECENTRALISATION: This is the main principle of the third-generation web. In this generation, the information would be extracted based on its content and could be stored in multiple places, and can be decentralized. This could help in breaking down the hygge database held by the internet giants like google and would hand control to the users.
- AI (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE): In Web 3.0 computers will be able to understand information just like humans to find faster and more applicable results. So, they could fulfill all the demands and requirements of the user and can become more intelligent to do so.
- CONNECTIVITY AND UBIQUITY: The information and content connectivity of this generation is great. The information is accessible by multiple applications that are connected to the web and the services can be accessed anywhere and everywhere.
Difference Between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0
The second and third generations of the web have similar backgrounds with similar technologies, but they are different as their approach toward challenges is different. Web 2.0 is focused on reading and writing content whereas web3.0 is forced on creating the content. Web 2 connects the people but Web 3 combines the data in meaning and strengthens the trust all this happens due to decentralization. Let us go through some of the differences between both generations that set them apart from each other.
- Technologies Used: The technologies used in Web 2 are HTML5, JavaScript, and AJAX. Web 3 uses Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Semantic Web, and Decentralization. The technologies of web 2.0 and web 3.0 differ from each other.
- Speed: Web 3 transfers slower than Web 2. The second generation examines information kept in a fixed place using HTTP in the distinctive web address while the third generation assigns the ownership to the others.
- Payment through Currency: The payment made for web 3.0 is through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoins, which are encrypted digital currencies while the payment for web 2.0 is made with fiat money. Fiat money is government-based money such as Indian Rupees, US dollars, and Euros used during transactions.
- Applications Used: The applications of web 2.0 are Blogging, Social Media, Podcasts, and video sites. The applications related to web 3.0 are Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence powered Apps, 3D applications or portals, and Virtual Reality.
End Of the Line
All the generations of the web have their own uniqueness. These generations were used in their respected time and revolutionized the world of web accordingly. In this era of technology Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 are both best in their own way, but now Web 3.0 is taking over the world of technology based on AI and machine learning. As web 1.0 and web 2.0 dominated the world, it might be the time of Web 3.0 to dominate the world of technology. So what are your thoughts on this?