Web2 Vs Web3 |How Do They Differ?
The world has been advancing on all fronts in the last two centuries, with a few inventions changing everyday lives, including motor vehicles, electricity, and the internet. Wait, did I say internet? Who might not accept that the internet has changed how we go about our everyday lives? Since the “Information Acquiring” era of the world wide web (or Web1), we have advanced to the interactive web, which we call Web2. Now, newer technologies have paved the route for Web3, which is set to be the users’ web, the reasons for which we will see later in this blog. This blog also explains the differences between Web2 and Web3 protocols.
What is Web2?
Web2, or “World Wide Web” as it was popularly known, is a technology that made the internet of today. The technology gave power to the common people who could not express themselves during the earlier Web1 era, where it was only possible to read information. Web2 is also based on centralized servers that govern the data it has, just like Web1. The era of social networking was born due to the Web2 revolution, and it became prevalent as smartphones, and high-speed internet became accessible to the global population.
What is Web3?
Web3, or as experts say, “Semantic Web,” is a concept that uses blockchain technology to host platforms. Blockchains are digital distributed ledgers that can easily keep track of transactions. In the current day, there have been platforms (or at least Alpha/Beta versions) that tend to replace the existing applications related to social media, communication, streaming, and email, among others. The Web3 applications use blockchains, which spread user data across devices connected to it, eliminating the need for centralized servers. The Web3 technology technically revolves around other prominent blockchain-based applications such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The Differences Between Web2 and Web3
☀ Web2 applications are hosted on centralized servers, whereas Web3 applications are hosted on blockchain networks.
☀ The centralized nature of Web2 causes it to be susceptible to hacking activity or malicious activity from server owners, putting users’ privacy at risk. But, with the user data getting distributed all over the blockchain on Web3, such breaches can’t happen.
☀ While Web2 applications need a user to switch applications for different tasks, Web3 significantly reduces the navigation time.
☀ While Web2 applications mainly depend on intermediaries to perform tasks (including tasks where sensitive information is involved), Web3 depends on self-executing smart contracts. These eliminate the time taken and costs involved in the intermediary process.
☀ While central authorities such as tech giants or governments can suppress information that they see as threatening in the Web2 ecosystem, there is no possibility of doing soon a Web3 application.
☀ The scope for IoT (Internet of Things) devices is very low in the Web2 world, whereas they can become a great part of the Web3 ecosystem, which might prove revolutionary.
☀ It is easier to access information through a Web3 application than a Web2 application, as Web3’s functioning is not restricted to geographical, demographical, and other social borders.
Which is the Best?
Although Web2 has been familiar, and we feel comfortable with our data being in the hands of some powerful firms, recent incidents of data breaches have changed people’s mindsets. With Web3, data is no longer centralized, and data generated by a user belongs to the user. Firms will be needed to pay users if they need user data, which gives power to the common user. If you are inspired now and want to run a new Web3-based application, there are a few companies that have extensive experience in the subject.
