May 10, 2022 04:30 PM

What is Web 3.0? - Here’s all you need to know

The term Web 3.0 is creating quite a buzz, and rightly so. But few really know what it really means and how it could potentially revolutionize our digital world. So let’s dive in to get a better understanding of what the term Web 3.0 really means and entails.

Also known as the third-generation internet, Web 3.0 is the next step in the evolution of the World Wide Web. The idea is to develop a more intelligent and connected web experience for users through a data-driven Semantic Web, which employs a machine-based understanding of said data.

Though it is in the limelight now, Web 3.0 was actually created by Gavin Wood, the co-founder of Ethereum, back in 2014. To put things into context, let’s take a look at the brief history of the internet -

Web 1.0 - The first version of the internet, with read-only pages, with few content creators, and mostly content consumers.

Web 2.0 - The current version of the internet, where users generate content, join & interact through social platforms, and experience mobile-first, cloud-driven computing.

Web 3.0 - The next-gen internet, where creators can own a piece of the community through NFTs, tokens, etc. A decentralized data architecture consists of AI-driven services and edge computing infrastructure.

Features that set Web 3.0 apart from its predecessors-

Semantic Web

- The Semantic Web enhances web technologies in a way that enables them to generate, share and connect content through a search and analysis process where they understand the meaning of words rather than just keywords or numbers.

Artificial Intelligence

- The combination of semantic capabilities and NLP (Natural language processing) allows computers to understand information on a human-like level, so they can provide faster and more relevant results.

3D Graphics

- There is extensive use of three-dimensional design in websites and services in Web 3.0. Common examples include - museum guides, computer games, eCommerce websites, and more.

Connectivity

- Thanks to semantic metadata, information is more connected in Web 3.0. Because of this, the user experience will enter a new level of connectivity that makes use of all available information.

Ubiquity

- This refers to the ability to access internet content and services anywhere at any time via any number of devices. Web 2.0 is also ubiquitous in several ways, but the surge in IoT devices will take it to the next level.

Blockchain

- With blockchain technology, user data is encrypted and protected, preventing large corporations from controlling and/or using the personal data of users for their gain.

Decentralized

- Users maintain ownership of all their data and digital assets because this data is stored in decentralized data networks within a peer-to-peer interconnection.

Edge computing

- Web 3.0 relies on the progress of edge computing, where apps and data are processed at the edge of the network on devices such as mobile phones, appliances, sensors and even smart cars and gadgets.

In a nutshell, Web 3.0 is an evolution of the internet where computers can understand the real meaning behind information through semantics & artificial intelligence and where data is decentralized and owned by the creators.

Web 3.0 promises to deliver an exciting & rewarding internet experience for individuals, organizations and businesses alike, and revolutionize the way we interact online.

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