Bridging Web2 to Web3
The true essence of the internet is the democratization of knowledge and communication. From its earliest roots as ARPANET, the internet has been used to close the information gap over time and distance, increasing access for everyone.
That same spirit fuels the current Web3 movement, as entrepreneurs and innovators work to build the next generation of the internet.
In a world where the community is the key, Web3 seeks to decentralize ownership and decision-making to the people who use it. When implemented at scale, the hope is that decentralization will mean more equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all web citizens.
To understand the reasons that have driven the community towards a decentralized ecosystem, we need to look back at some key points in the history of the web.
Web1 — Only read
In the first stage, the Internet creates an interconnection of users based on communication networks.
The first websites, portals, and web service platforms are developed so that users can only browse through the virtual catalog of products, learn more about their characteristics, and purchase from the companies' websites.
With Web 1.0, the possibility of interaction between the company and its customers is limited, so the only contact points are mailing, fax, telephone, and advertising.
The flow of information is one-way since there are no platforms for continuous interaction between users, and there is no possibility of uploading multimedia content.
Web2 — Read and write
The second stage, on the other hand, is characterized by Web 2.0.
It is perceived as the set of all those online applications that allow interactions between the website and the user.
Tools such as social networks, blogs, tags, and podcasts offer the possibility of deepening the company-customer relationship and developing a flow of participatory communication between users on the web.
Web 2.0 thus rests on three pillars: interaction, sharing, and participation. Interaction offers each individual the opportunity to take advantage, in real-time, of the content of most interests and to share it with other network users.
In this way, communication becomes participative.
Anyone can contribute to the dissemination of content on the Internet, which becomes accessible to all.
As more people came online, a handful of top companies began to control a disproportionate amount of the traffic and value generated on the web.
Web 2.0 also birthed the advertising-driven revenue model. While users could create content, they didn’t own it or benefit from its monetization.
It is the web of social networks.
Web3 — Read-Write-Own
The premise of ‘Web 3.0’ was coined by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood shortly after Ethereum launched in 2014. Gavin put into words a solution for a problem that many early crypto adopters felt: the Web required too much trust.
Most of the Web people know and use today relies on trusting a handful of private companies to act in the public’s best interests.
Web3 has become a catch-all term for the vision of a new, better internet. At its core, Web3 uses blockchains, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs to give power back to the users in the form of ownership.
A 2020 post on Twitter said it best: Web1 was read-only, Web2 is read-write, and Web3 will be read-write-own.
Web2 VS Web3
What does Web3 have that Web2 does not?
- The decentralized world of Web 3.0 prevents censorship. This point may have some drawbacks: preventing censorship means giving way to an immensity of fake content.
- Web 3.0 payments do not require personal data to be successfully transmitted. The decentralization of payments is a great innovation. No one can profit from or track our payments ensuring greater security and total disintermediation.
- The failure of one Web 3.0 component does not lead to the crack of the entire ecosystem. Distributed networks are built on an immense number of nodes so that the failure of one of them does not create any network problems.
- Web 3 has no entry obstacles. The network poses no accessibility problems: anyone can become a validator node or operate web3 platforms.
- Web 3.0 has created a state-of-the-art three-dimensional world. The Metaverse on blockchain to date is still little used, as any innovation will need time to establish itself. The future is bright, however, as it will become a digital place where people and companies can interact and trade freely, governed by rules decided democratically by the community.
How can we bridge Web2 to Web3?
We have already entered an era in which the connection between Web2 and Web3 is quite significant. Of course, in many ways, Web3 has only just begun, and Web2 is still what most companies and average people use.
However, it is also clear that Web3 will not be necessary for all online activities. Therefore, we can expect the online world to move towards a hybrid of Web2 and Web3 in the coming years. Therefore, linking Web2 and Web3 will be the key to ensuring that users can experience the best of the Web.
Therefore, it is essential that infrastructure developers, in particular, ensure that Web3 development becomes accessible to those with Web2 development skills.
The connection is made through the use of tools that connect the two worlds:
A data asset management platform:
At the enterprise level, it is unthinkable that anyone could write data into a blockchain, as this would be immutable and visible to anyone.
You need an ecosystem of authorized parties deciding what information to notarize and verifying the correctness of the data.
Authorized parties can access the platform to request notarization in the blockchain.
The request is forwarded to the brand and other components who, after verifying the correctness of the information, write the data into the blockchain.
In the past, some companies opted for a private blockchain, where the POS validation nodes were also the authorized parties.
To date, private blockchains are considered obsolete by the community as they do not guarantee total transparency and decentralization.
Identity authentication systems:
User verification is crucial in an economic system; total anonymity would not allow verifying who are the authorized parties and who the user owns the final good.
Moreover, a low percentage of consumers hold a wallet, and, to simplify procedures, a traditional login to their wallet is necessary.
Oracles:
An oracle is a tool that is increasingly being used to connect the blockchain with the external ecosystem.
Oracles gather information and allow Smart Contracts to be activated based on data taken from outside.
This tool has many applications and is fundamental for implementing blockchain in enterprises.
These guarantee a high level of security, guarantee, and impartiality of data, as they can use data that authorized parties to agree upon by taking it from a central database or public banks.
Oracles become crucial when Smart Contracts need a high level of assurance. Precisely for this reason, companies are springing up that guarantee very high levels of ‘trust’ in their oracles, placing a long series of sensors and “ Verity proof” of the data they collect and send to the smart contracts.
Final Thoughts
For the Web 3.0 Community to continue to grow, we must prioritize transparency and integrity. With new technologies comes doubt and stigma.
To bridge the gap between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0, the current Web 3.0 lovers need to share facts, support onboarding, answer questions and continue to show up every day. If you are in the Web 3.0 space today, you are early.
