Table of contents
In 1989, when Web 1.0 was created, it consisted of only web pages with static, read-only content and no actual interactive content. It was written in basic HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), and it lasted until 2005. Then came the era of Web 2.0, which started in 2004. Now that I think about it, suspiciously, Web 2.0 must have killed Web 1.0🤔😅.
Then came WEB 2.0
Web 2.0 was the game changer. it had interactive and responsive web pages, even animated displays. HTML, CSS for styling, and programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, etc powered it.
and some other programming languages for functionality, it was so good that it went mobile (other gadgets, e.g., tablets, phones, etc.), and that is what is in use presently, or let’s say we are in the era of Web 2.5, if that’s even a thing.
Now, Web 3.0 is the latest internet iteration, it started around 2006. It is founded on the premise of having a decentralized system. Unlike a centralized system, which has an organization handle its data and server information, the decentralized system gives no authority to anybody or any single entity, organization, or company power over transactions, data, or the ability to alter either. And this data is recorded on blockchains and random hard disks around the world, which are publicly available to everyone on the network. In summary, Web 3 brings ease.
An illustration of the phases of the web from Enlear Academy
The blockchain is not Web 3.0 though it works on the principles of Web 3.0 just like cryptocurrency, which is the currency in Web 3, and even its wallets for storage (like physical banks) all work on Web 3 principles.
We've been talking a lot about blockchain, so what is it?
In a nutshell, blockchain is a technological ledger (like in finance) that is an information chain of blocks.
Web3 vs. blockchain
Web3 is the internet, while blockchain is the mode of transferring and storing information in Web3; they are not the same thing; one is a subset of the other. In Web3, you can use apps, websites, etc. that have their core transactions and data based on the blockchain, cryptocurrency, smart contracts, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
An illustration of the relationship between web3, blockchain, and cryptocurrency