Web3, Web4, and Web5 — How the Internet Has Developed Over Time
Simple hypertext was used in the early days of the Internet, but the network quickly advanced to more complex technologies. It paved the way for a more complex web, steadily increasing the range of content available online.
Web 2.0 was up next. The term “Web2” was created in 1999 by Darcy DiNucci. The platform prioritizes user-generated content, simplicity, community, and information sharing. Social networking and real-time information exchange are its central features.
Web3 goes further by unifying all connected devices under a single umbrella. Gavin Wood, a co-creator of Ethereum, first used this term in 2014. With Web3, users can freely exchange information without fear of unwanted disclosure or invasion of privacy.
What is Web3?
Web3 is a decentralized network in which information is owned by its users. It’s a place where people can meet and share ideas without the censorship and surveillance that plague the current Internet. This means users can feel safe sharing information with one another without worrying about the platform sharing it with third parties without their knowledge or consent.
Web3 is widely expected to be the next major version of the World Wide Web, and its announcement has generated a lot of excitement. Its primary goal is to streamline the process by which developers can create DWAs that use credentialing that can be independently verified and distributed to web nodes. This system employs distributed identifiers to reclaim control and ownership of data, in contrast to the current system, where intermediaries control identifiers.
Web 1.0 — The World Wide Web
Tim Berners-Lee stated that the web’s original version, known as Web 1.0, was essentially a “read-only web.” Early Internet users could conduct searches and access the results. There needed to be more participation and content creation from the audience.
Web 2.0 — The Writing And Participating Web
Web 2.0 emerged in response to users’ reluctance to participate actively online. LiveJournal (launched in April 1999) and Blogger (launched in August 1999) were two major contributors to the Read-Write-Publish movement that began that year. In this age of numerous blog platforms, even the most technically inept user can participate in online discussions and make meaningful contributions. According to Berners-Lee’s definition, users of the “read-write” web (or Web 2.0) can contribute content and engage in two-way communication. Because of people like you, the web has dramatically transformed. There is untapped potential there as well. Users’ desire to have a say in the content they access on the web has been met with open arms by Web 2.0.
Some new ideas, such as blogs, social media, and online video streaming, have given the average user more control in this era. Getting your work published takes only a few mouse clicks. Twitter, YouTube, EzineArticles, Flickr, and Facebook are just a few of the most remarkable innovations of Web 2.0.
Different people have different opinions on what Web 2.0 is and how it should be used.
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Web 3.0 — The Semantic Executing Web
The definition of “Web 3.0” is likely to be the first topic of discussion in any comprehensive account. The answer to this, one of the simplest questions about web3, is surprisingly complex. One common misconception about web3 is that it is the third iteration of the World Wide Web or Internet. One of the best ways to get a handle on what is meant by “web3” is to review the history of the web.
Web 1.0, the first generation of the Internet, was primarily a ‘read-only’ medium that displayed information without allowing users to interact. Web 1.0 lacked any capabilities for interactive experiences, with shopping carts being its only interactive feature. Web 3.0 builds on the innovations of Web 2.0, which pioneered online interactivity.
Intriguingly, the definitions of Web 2.0 were not limited to a single platform or set of tools. The purpose of web2 centered on how people engaged with the web. Web 2.0 provided for the ‘read-write’ Internet, where visitors to a website could do more than just read the content on the page. Using web2, people could contribute to discussions, make their content, and share it with others. Web 2.0 was successful in every way that mattered to the end user.
Web 3.0 improves upon web2’s read-write methodology by providing a ‘read-write-execute’ setting instead. The emphasis is on giving the user more say over their data and making web interactions as natural as possible, like talking to someone. Most importantly, it motivates users to be proactive rather than reactive in their contributions to the evolution of the web.
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Why is Web 3.0 Special?
One possible response to the question “What is web3 in simple terms?” is provided by the Internet’s history, highlighting the importance of interactivity. Many of you may be scratching your heads over web2’s failure to deliver. Web 2.0 sites and programs encouraged user participation and collaboration. However, websites and apps have yet to progress to the point where they can initiate communication with users and learn what they need. By taking a preventative approach based on state-of-the-art language processing and machine learning, Web3 provides a plausible upgrade in this area. Web3 could make the internet act partially autonomously, with a specific service inquiring as to the user’s preferences.
Web 4.0 — The Internet of Everything
In the next two decades, all devices may have Internet access as standard — everything from cars to fridges to mattresses. The concept of the Internet of Everything (IoE) expands upon the IoT. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the networking connection of physical objects, while the Internet of Everything (IoE) expands that to include people and processes.
Networking and computing may soon be available in every room of every house and every car on the road. While there may be some benefits to the IoE in theory, there are also some potential drawbacks. Some potential dangers are as follows:
- New devices (like wearables and home appliances) may allow for much greater access to private information.
- Consumers should use multiple layers of defense
- The attack surface (or potential entry points) will increase.
- Newly connected devices could introduce malware and other security flaws to an otherwise safe network.
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Web 5.0 — Open, Linked, and Intelligent Web = Emotional Web
Considering the vast nature of the changes made in previous web versions, one must question the motivations behind releasing Web 5.0. But first, let’s define Web 5.0 precisely so we have a firm grasp of its capabilities. Web 5.0’s design aimed to create a decentralized web platform providing the freedom and tools to develop such applications.
Users regaining access to and ownership of their data would be Web 5.0’s top priority. Web 5.0 is still in its early stages of development at this time. Web 5.0, according to these experts, is more of a merger of Web 2.0 and Web 3.0.
Why bother with a web5 blockchain if you can get the same functionality from a web3 one? In addition to introducing emotional intelligence, Web 5.0 would build a decentralized web platform with semantic capabilities. Web 5.0’s goal of fostering humane interactions with artificial intelligence is ambitious.
Possibilities abound when you consider Web 5.0 examples, like a website that maps people’s emotions. When the user listens to the site through headphones, facial recognition can create an emotional map. The website can detect the user’s mood and react to their actions accordingly.
Compare and Contrast: Web3 and Web5
Web5’s overarching goal is similar to Web3’s, but each has distinctive features. The core concepts of Web3 apps are implemented as smart contracts on public blockchains such as Ethereum. The term “decentralized application” (DApps) is often used to describe web3. The software that makes it work is hosted on a distributed ledger called a blockchain.
Web5, on the other hand, features non-blockchain-based DWAs that are still able to talk to DWNs. This creates a decentralized, blockchain-independent peer-to-peer relaying network.
Web5 gives you complete command over the information you store on DWNs. On the other hand, web3 utilizes IPFS, a distributed file system that enables decentralized data distribution and storage, to keep its information in a peer-to-peer network.
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When Will Web5 Be Available For Public Use?
Web5 is currently just a work-in-progress open-source project. The team still needs more time to determine when and how they will implement web5. Manager Mike Brock recently stated that there would be no web5 investment tokens.
Web5 is the Decentralized Internet We Need
Web5 is the next generation of the World Wide Web. It has yet to materialize fully, but it’s close enough to the next generation of web browsers and services to glimpse it.
The web5 team has been developing this free and open-source software for a long time, and it shows. The concept is still in its infancy, and its developers and early adopters are working on perfecting it. More people using web5 increases the likelihood that it will be integrated into regular life.
