Evolution of World Wide Web (1.0, 2.0, 3.0)

Posted on 03/24/23 6:52 AM

1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet and It is believed that in 1991, the World Wide Web opened to the public. Prior to this, the various computer networks did not have a standard way to communicate with each other.

The web has evolved considerably over time, and its contemporary uses are almost unrecognizable from its inception. Nowadays the World Wide Web is used by billions of people to distribute information, read and create it, and connect with others over the internet.

The development of the World Wide Web is often classified into three stages:

Web 1.0
Web 2.0
Web 3.0

What Is Web 1.0?

Web 1.0 is all about reading and getting information. It is known as a read-only Web.

Basically, Web 1.0 was a few people writing content and web pages for a large number of people. So, people could access facts, information, and content from the source. It is the first example of a global network, which offered the potential for the future of digital communication and information-sharing.

It’s all about the webpages, which were connected to a system using hyperlinks. The main purpose of Web 1.0 is to provide the information to users. It’s just all about presenting information, or products, to visitors like a catalog or brochure. That’s why it’s known as the “read-only” web.

Here are a few characteristics found in Web 1.0:

It’s read only. Non-interactive.
It’s made up of static pages connected to a system via hyperlinks
Information sent through email
The content generated from the server’s filesystem, not from the database
Users can access/read the content but are not able to react to it.

What Is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 was all about reading, writing, and creating. It is known as participative social Web. It gave us mobile, social, and cloud networks that are centrally managed.

In Web 1.0 a small number of people were generating content for a large number of peoples, but in Web 2.0 many people were contributing to create content for a large number of peoples.

Earlier Web 1.0 was focused on reading but Web 2.0 was focused on participating and contributing. The major difference is having capability to participate and contributing to the web. So, it’s not just about reading, it’s about contributing.

Earlier the content was from the server file system only, but in Web 2.0 users can request to the server, which will then be sent to the webpage as a response. Web 2.0 emphasizes User-Generated Content (UGC), ease of use, interactivity, and improved compatibility with other systems and devices.

It’s mainly focused on improving the end user’s experience. This Web form was responsible for creating communities, collaborations, and social media. Web 2.0 is considered the primary stage of web interaction for most of the users.

Here are a few characteristics found in Web 2.0

It’s participative social web
It offers information sorting, retrieve and classify data collectively
It contains dynamic content that responds to the user’s input
It’s used by society at large and not limited to specific communities.
It encourages self-usage and allows forms of interaction like:
- Social media
- Tagging
- Blogging
- Commenting

What Is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 is called a semantic web or read-write-execute. It focuses on efficiency and intelligence by reusing and linking data across websites. It gives us decentralized networks and AI.

Web 3.0 is all about reading, writing and owning. The main evolution here is, builders and creators can now own a piece of their own community, through NFTs, tokens etc. Web 3.0 is built on a foundation consisting of the core ideas of decentralization, openness, and more excellent user utility.

Web 1.0 is the “read-only Web,” Web 2.0 is the “participative social Web,” and Web 3.0 is the “read, write, execute Web.”

World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee alluded to Web 3.0 the Semantic Web and envisioned an intelligent, autonomous, and open Internet that used Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to act as a “global brain” and process content conceptually and contextually.

Web 3.0 ultimately lets users interact, exchange information, and securely conduct financial transactions without a centralized authority or coordinator. As a result, each user becomes a content owner instead of just a content user.

Here’s a list of typical Web 3.0 characteristics:

It’s a read, write, execute Web Or semantic web
lets users create, share, and connect content via search and analysis.
Incorporates Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Freedom to interact publicly or privately without having an intermediary expose them to risks
Facilitates participation without needing authorization from a governing body
Connectivity of multiple devices and applications through the Internet of Things (IoT)
It can be used for:
- Metaverses
- Blockchain games
- Privacy and digital infrastructure
- Decentralized finance
- Decentralized autonomous organizations

Nowadays we are already seeing elements of Web 3.0 into our Internet experiences, such as Blockchain, NFTs, AR cloud, and Distributed ledgers.

Siri is an example of Web 3.0 technology, as is the Internet of Things. We are moving closer to achieve Berners-Lee’s initial vision of Web 3.0. He envisioned the World Wide Web will be a place with “no permission is needed from a central authority to post anything … there is no central controlling node, and so no single point of failure … and no “kill switch.”

Concussion:

Web 1.0 is the “read-only Web”
Web 2.0 is the “participative social Web”
Web 3.0 is the “read, write, execute Web” Or “semantic web”

I can say that Web 1.0 helped people find things online better, Web 2.0 enabled people to experience things better, and Web 3.0 helped people create things online better.