The Internet, like other technologies, is constantly changing and evolving. Nowadays, everyone is talking about the new generation of the Internet or Web 3.0. If you are familiar with the digital space, you probably know that this term is used to introduce the latest generation of the web. In this article, to better understand the concept of Web 3.0, we first provide a brief explanation of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 and continue to examine the idea, how it works, its advantages, disadvantages, and the infrastructure of this technology.
Web 3.0 is a platform where all related matters are decentralized, and dependence on large companies is minimized. In Web 3.0, power from companies such as Meta (Facebook), Amazon, Google, etc., is distributed among people, and each person can play an important role. But to know more precisely what Web 3.0 is, it is better to look at Web 1.0 and Web 2.0.
The early age of the Internet was the first step in digitalization. Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web in Geneva in 1989. He sought to create a protocol to exchange information worldwide. The first generation of the web, Web 1.0, appeared in the late 1990s and lasted until 2004.
In other words, the active sites in the Web 1.0 period only allowed users to read the sites (Read Only) and browse different pages. Large companies mainly created the sites in the first generation of the web, and users did not communicate with each other.
Web 2.0 started in 2004 and continues to this day. In this period, unlike the previous period, there is more dependence on user interaction. Sites changed from read-only to read/write. In Web 2.0, users can create content and use the content. Everyone can have their blog or publish their opinions in existing forums. Due to this feature, the methods of generating income through advertising are also increasing daily. Still, the problem is that sometimes only some people who operate in Web 2.0 can benefit from these sources of income.
Social networking platforms such as Twitter and Instagram emerged during Web 2.0. These platforms expanded the communication between users, but users want more control over their data and content.
Gavin Wood proposed the initial idea of Web 3.0 in 2014. In 2021, this concept was given much attention, and the movement toward it has become more serious. Web 3.0 can be considered a solution to the problems of Web 2.0. The limited methods of earning money, the control of large companies over people's information, and the concentration of resources are among the problems that were solved by the main idea of the emergence of Web 3.0.
In addition to the features of the previous generations, ownership has also been added to Web 3.0. In web 3.0, users can access different content, create content, work on it, and fully control what they create and can influence. To better understand the concept of Web 3.0, we compare the web first, second and third generations in the table below.
| Factors | Web 1.0 | Web 2.0 | Web 3.0 |
| Type of content | Passive interaction for users | Community platforms and user-generated content | Ownership of users on contents |
| Technology | HTML | Dynamic HTML and JavaScript | Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning |
| Virtual Space | Does not have | Limited use of three-dimensional space | 3D, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) |
| Advertising | Banners | Interactive | Targeting based on user behavior |
| Information storage | Storage on websites servers | Storage and control by large corporations | Distributed among users. |
| Audience | Unique and specificSpecific | Communities of users | Multiple users and on multiple platforms |
By accepting and moving towards Web 3.0, everyone's life will be affected; therefore, it is better to learn about the benefits of Web 3.0.
The structure of Web 3.0 will provide an anti-monopoly network with privacy. Due to the technology used in this field, the dominance of intermediaries and companies exclusively surrounded by some cases will decrease over time and disappear in the long term. This causes users' privacy to be considered and respected more than before.
Web 3.0 is more secure than its predecessors. This feature is due to the decentralized nature of Web 3.0. Hackers will have more difficult ways to manipulate this network, and even if they succeed in their plan, the networks will identify them. If the hackers succeed in doing such a thing, the networks will take the necessary measures immediately.
Any information created in Web 3.0 is fully owned by whoever created it. Information is created in a decentralized manner and recorded on the network. Users have access to them.
Native payment: Every project active in Web 3.0 should have its economic system based on sending and receiving online and not rely on old infrastructure.
To understand how Web 3.0 works, we must refer to its infrastructure. One of the technologies that emerged with digital currencies is Distributed Ledger (DLT). Blockchain, hash graphs, and many other things are elements of distributed ledgers that can be used to build a decentralized system.
Distributed ledgers are responsible for recording and maintaining information, and since a specific entity does not control it, it is decentralized among participants. These contributors are called nodes. The system of earning and rewarding projects that are active in Web 3.0 are based on digital currencies. These projects reward users according to their role and activity level (Tokenomics). Web 3.0 works based on distributed ledger technology like blockchain and its economy is based on digital currencies.
Currently, businesses are active on centralized servers. They have specific places as data centers where they store information related to their activities. The first step to entering Web 3.0 is to move all projects and deploy them on blockchains. In the following, we will introduce the top blockchains in Web 3.0:
Ethereum is one of the most well-known blockchains. Currently, this network hosts about 3700 decentralized applications, which is why it is in first place in the table of hosting decentralized applications. Due to the structure and facilities that Ethereum provides to users, many developers choose this network to build decentralized applications.
Cosmos is one of the most popular blockchains for its Inter-Blockchain Communication and Software Development Kit (SDK). According to Cosmos architecture, blockchains can communicate with each other in parallel. Currently, a set of 46 different blockchains are connected in the Cosmos ecosystem.
Fantom seeks to provide an infrastructure that, in addition to reducing costs, provides users with higher speeds than Ethereum. Fantom's architecture is such that security is maintained in addition to increasing the speed of transactions.
Avalanche emphasizes scalability, and its scalability is around 4,500 transactions per second. The confirmation capacity of this network is more than 2,000 nodes, which is a very good statistic.
After preparing the necessary infrastructure, there is a need to interact with the users. Decentralized Applications (dApps) are responsible for this task, operate in a decentralized manner, and do not require third-party approval. These applications run Peer to Peer (P2P) without the need for an institution to monitor them.
Users connect to dApps using wallets. These wallets work like IDs or emails in Web 2.0. When users connect to dApps, they should choose the appropriate wallet according to the network. Wallets are tools for digital storage and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT).
There is different types of crypto wallets, such as software wallets, hardware wallets, and exchange wallets. Among these three groups, hardware wallets are the most secure, and exchange wallets are the least secure. Some main Web 3.0 wallets are
Digital currencies are bought and sold in exchanges. Exchanges are one of the services that operate in this ecosystem, and until today, centralized exchanges have taken a relatively large share. One of the distinctive features of Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs) is that the transactions can run cheaper and faster.
In addition, the biggest advantage of DEXs is that users have complete control over their assets, and transparency in decentralized exchanges is much higher than in centralized exchanges. Different platforms are launched on different networks, each offering users unique features. Some of the main decentralized exchanges are
In the following, we have introduced some of the most important and popular Web 3.0 projects which shape the future of Web 3.0. Polkadot, Filecoin, BitTorrent, Kusama, and Ocean are among those cryptocurrencies with great growth potential and are among the best options for investment.
The most important feature of Web 3.0 is that it gives us control over information, and everyone will have the same conditions. This article discussed the idea, how it works, advantages, and infrastructure of Web 3.0. We want to compare Web 3.0 with the previous generations and describe its features. In that case, we can mention a lack of concentration, equal opportunity to earn money, no need for a supervisory and intermediary body, and local payments.
Web 3.0 provides a better experience for users and creates a fundamental change in people's lifestyles. We must remember that Web 3.0 is still beginning its journey and has a long way to go before it becomes widely accepted.
Recruiters can use the advantages of Web 3.0 in the recruitment process, and in general, Web 3.0 will bring many changes to the recruitment process.
