Web 3.0 has not been implemented yet. It is expected to take as long as the transition from the original Web to Web 1.0 and 2.0, namely, almost ten years. However, we can see the first steps of its growth: web technologies that will define Web 3.0, like IoT ( the Internet of Things) and Smart Home Appliances, are already in the development phase. Obviously, Web 3.0 will become the next iteration of the Web to be a more autonomous and open-source software.
How Does Web 3.0 Work?
This third generation of the Web is built upon using machine learning, decentralized networks, and AI. Instead of creating many different accounts for every platform, users will be able to open a single account that will work on all platforms. What's more, it will be possible to keep ownership of any given information. No corporation can use or access users' data and check their accuracy without permission. Instead, users of the Web can sell their data to advertisers and still have ownership control and data privacy. Web 3.0 uses blockchain technology for security purposes.
Simply put, Web 3.0 is a new Internet where you can interact with websites and machines in a more personalized and human-way manner.
Web 2.0 and Web 3.0: Definition and Brief History
The Web refers to WWW (World Wide Web), which is the Internet's core information retrieval system. Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 represent subsequent and more developed iterations of the Web.
Web 2.0 is the current Internet version, while Web 3.0 represents the next phase of web evolution.
2004 was the most decisive year for Web 2.0. This year the two biggest companies served as an accelerator for their development: Facebook and Google's IPO.
The exponential success and growth of Web 2.0 are directly related to the three core types of innovation: mobile, cloud, and social. These include social media platforms, mobile Internet access, and mobile devices like smartphones, iPhones, and other Internet-connected devices.
Today, Web 2.0 is used by many websites, applications, and static desktop web pages. It focuses on user interactivity and the social web-enabling collaboration between users. Web 2.0 provides more communication channels and universal network connectivity too.
Definition of Web 3.0
The Web 3.0 definition can be described like this: the data will be interrelated in a decentralized web, as well the interconnection, which can be a huge leap toward the current Internet, where centralized repositories are used. The data of decentralized applications are distributed in several locations, which means they are controlled without a central controlling node. Web 3.0 has four fundamental pillars: blockchain and cryptocurrency, Semantic markup, AI, and 3D visualization/spatial web. Although core concepts and management tools are alike, it's completely different from Web 2.0.
Is Semantic Web the Same as Web 3.0?
At various points in time and context and browser wars, the Semantic Web has been referred to as Web 3.0. On the surface, they are for the same thing and refer to the family of technology standards (from the W3C). However, Web 3.0 and Semantics Web are not the same. Web 3.0 uses semantic-based technologies and Natural Language Processing (NLP) for more intuitive interaction.
So, let's dig in and understand the main difference.
Definition of Semantic Web
This Web allows computers to analyze loads of data from the Web: transactions, content, links between people, and interactive web platforms. The Semantic Web, envisioned by Tim Berners-Lee, explained the machine-processable data's vision on the Web. The use of Semantics on the Web can allow machines to decode emotions and meaning by analyzing data and relying on artificial intelligence (AI). So that Internet users (like a technical writers, for example) will have a better experience and efficient browsing.
Web 3.0 Applications and Key Features
Below are some of the most well-known examples of Web 3.0 applications:
- Wolfram Alpha: This is an intelligence platform that computes the answers of web users from various fields, such as mathematics and science, and analyzes user-generated content.
- Siri: Siri is a voice recognition software and the core component of Web 3.0. It will help users to have meaningful search results by increasing Internet usage.
- Sola: This is an example of a social media website. Sola uses AI algorithms to distinguish and endorse only good content and is not relying solely on web user interaction.
- Steemit: Like Sola, it is also a social media website. Steemit rewards content creators with cryptocurrencies for contributing website content and allows them to share photos online.
All the application data are kept and managed in a blockchain, which is maintained by peer-to-peer networks.
Web 3.0 Key Features
Compared to the older-generation web tools and three core layers of Web 1.0 ( Hypertext Markup Language, Hypertext Transfer Protocol, Uniform Resources Locator), the main features of Web 3.0 are:
- Decentralization - Decentralized data networks allow data generators to trade data without risking their security. It means they will have a list of data suppliers to provide users with a secure environment: you can log in, view different Internet pages, use online services, and interact publicly without being tracked.
- Edge computing - The shift to Web 3.0 means carrying the data center out to the edge and bringing new cutting-edge technologies and other online platforms.
- Blockchain - It is the primary layer as it redefines the structures of data in the backend and deploys intelligent contracts.
- Artificial Intelligence - The next layers are AI and machine-learning algorithms. They are used to make valuable predictions and acts.
Conclusion
The future of virtual reality full of technological innovation is rather predictable. Web 3.0 will surely expand the scope of human and machine interactions bringing it close to real-world human communication. As a result, interactions ranging from simple payments to richer information flows to trusted data transfers will become real.
The forthcoming wave of Web 3.0 will help the future-proof entrepreneurial with low-cost resources, new cloud providers, more data regulations, and digital assets.
