Precis: Wondering how much technology has changed and want to know more about web1 vs web2 vs web3? Well, then you have knocked down the right page.
The world of technology is a maze in itself, and it has innumerable words and phrases that require profound knowledge and research to have the perfect grasp. One of the most general examples is that we often use two most common technological terms- “The internet” and the “Web” similarly. You will be amazed at us revealing that the two terms are different, and you cannot use them interchangeably.
So, to help you gather precise knowledge about the technological world, the following discussion will talk about the web1 vs web2 vs web3. We would discuss each of the three concepts separately and then describe their difference in different aspects. So, follow the discussion below to understand the vocabulary of the technology universe.
What is web1?
We would begin our discussion with an induction into the concept of web1. And then, we would proceed with what is web2 and web3. Most straightforwardly, we can say that web1 is a technology made of vital and fundamental web protocols. These web protocols include HTTP, HTML, and URL.
The pages having a web1 structure were unable to allow feedback, quotes, or comments from the viewers. Only the webmaster could update the users and manage the content prevailing on the website. So, we can say that one of the earliest versions of websites and webpages was web1. It offered facts, content from different sources, and information. It had a simple function: to provide people with information. We can refer to them as “Read-only Web.” web1 is also called web 1.0.
Here are specific characteristics of web1:
- Components of HTML 3.2, including frames and tables, were included in Web1 pages.
- They are static pages that connect with the help of hyperlinks to a system.
- It lacks user interaction and is a read-only website.
- The source of web1 is not a relational database management system but the server’s filesystem.
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What is web2?
Gradually, the internet started gaining popularity, and the fancy began shifting towards user-generated content. It happened after 2004 when the proportion of content saw this significant shift. It is crucial because of the influence of social media in our lives. Its benefit for allowing us to communicate and the rapid technological advances were the prime raisins for the shift towards user-generated content.
So, the web2 content was by a more significant number of people than the web1 content. The audience was growing, and the aim was to participate and contribute. Here, the web pages found interactivity, and the user experience factor came into play. We can refer to Web2 as the “participative social web,” also called Web 2.0. Popular web components such as Podcasting, Tagging, Social media, Blogging, Curating with RSS, Commenting, Social networking, and Web content voting are all a part of web2.
The following are the characteristics of web2.
- Along with free information, the web2 pages collectively allow retrieving and classifying data.
- It includes the deployment of Development Application Programming Interfaces, also called API.
- It involves user interaction.
What is web3?
The web2 to web3 transition leads the content to become user-generated, but at the same, it requires a description that has a precise meaning. Through web3, people can create applications via which other users can readily communicate and publish content. It is essential to note that most of the elements of web3 will be available in the future. However, we do use specific components of it even today.
The key concepts on which web3 lays its foundation are decentralization and multi-use environment. Therefore, it promotes openness and optimum utility. Here, the focus shifts from centralized areas, like Facebook, Twitter, and Google, and finds its way to a more decentralized platform. These decentralized platforms are almost anonymous. We will obtain the full realization and use of web3 in the future. We can refer to web3 as “Raed, write, execute Web.” It is also called web 3.0.
The characteristics of web3 are as follows.
- It does not require any authorization for participation.
- The users have the liberty to interact publicly and privately
- Includes 3-D graphics
- It is a semantic web
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Differences Between Web1 vs Web2 vs Web3
Now, let us jump right into the part of the discussion we have longed for since the beginning. How do web1, web2, and web3 differ from one another? Let us look into its answer in the following points.
- Content-type
Web1 has static and read-only content. Whereas for web2, the content is shared and dynamic. And for web3, a content connection exists through searches and analysis. Here, the content is web pages in web1, whereas they are wikis and blogs food web2. And for web3, they are live streams and waves.
- The focus of the webpage
The focus of web1 is on the different companies, whereas the focus of web2 is on the community. Lastly, the focus of web3 lies on the individual. So, we can say that the emphasis of web1, web2, and web3 are company-based, community-based, and individual-based, respectively.
- Interaction level
The interactivity on web1 is negligible, or we can say there is no interaction in web1. In web2, user interaction exists and occurs through different social media platforms. And the AI-drives services are the medium through which interactions in web3 occur.
- Nature
The nature of web1 is rigidly read-only, whereas web2 is rigidly write-only. But, for web3, it is a beneficially read-write-interact type.
- Value calculation
The value calculation happens through page views for web1, cost or pay-per-click (PPC) for web2, and user engagement in web3.
- Web-type
Web1 is a visual and interactive web. On the contrary, web2 is programmable, and web3 is a linked data web.
- Ownership of content
The contents of web1 are owned, whereas the contents on web2 are shared. And the contents on web3 are consolidated.
- Components
The components of web1 include File or web servers, e-mail, P2P file sharing, search engines, content portals, and HTML/HTTP/URL/Portals. The components of web2 are Instant messaging, Adobe Flex, Ajax, JavaScript frameworks, and XML/RSS. Lastly, knowledge bases, ontologies, personal intelligent data assistants, semantic search functions, and RDF/RDFS/OWL are the components costuming or forming web3.
- User experience
The user experience in web1 doesn’t play any role because the factor of user interaction does not exist for web1. On the other hand, for web2, the user experience found its utility and function. It is because of the beginning of the user interaction from web2. And the user experience is optimum in web3 because it aims at openness and decentralization, which ultimately results in optimum utility.
- Time of remaining active
Web1 was active around the period ranging from 1989 to 2005. At the same time, web2 was active from 1999 to 2012. And web3 is an ongoing web iteration that started in 2006 and is yet to find its full realization and utility.
- Advertising
Web1 involves banner advertising. Whereas on the other hand, web2 involves interactive advertising. And lastly, web3 involves behavioral advertising.
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Final Words
This was all about the differences between web1, web2, and web3. We have not just touched upon the differences between the three web iterations. This depicts that the difference is not only between web1 and web 2 but also there is a huge difference between web2 and web3. Further, we have also explained what the three web iterations are and what characteristics define them. Then, we explained how web1, web2, and web3 differ based on specific aspects. It was a thorough explanation of the idea. Therefore, it will readily help you gain the necessary information regarding the vast terminologies and concepts on which the world of technology finds its foundation.
