Web 3.0 and Why It Matters for the Future!
One of the most revolutionary things that have happened to the mankind is the invention of the internet. Since its official inception in the year 1983, there has been no looking back. Today internet is touching every single aspect of our lives and all our actions including the way we live, socialize, shop, educate and what not revolves around the web. But do you think we have touched the mark?
“The original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate through sharing information.” ― Tim Berners-Lee.
The web still needs gargantuan improvements to reach to what Tim Berners-Lee wanted it to be. The existing version of the internet i.e. Web 2.0 is playing its part by letting people participate in use as well as creation of the content. And undoubtedly most of us are satisfied with what the web is offering us. But Web 3.0 is all set to take it to the next level or you can call it as the future of the World Wide Web. The upcoming sections will give you more insight about what it is and why it matters for the future. First let us have a sneak peek into the other two.
Web 1.0 – The Static Web
“Web 1.0 was making the Internet for people; Web 2.0 is making the Internet better for companies.” - Jeff Bezos. The first generation of World Wide Web i.e. Web 1.0 was aimed at creation of static information through static web pages which were mainly hard code HTML pages. There were mostly consumers for the content and the most important reason was that the tools and technology was confined in limited hands.
Web 2.0 – The Interactive Web
The next generation is more interactive and more users had the power to create the content. This is what we are currently experiencing where the web pages are dynamic promoting more of user’s collaboration. Techniques like JavaScript, AJAX, and the document object model (DOM) with multimedia and graphics have made things way more optimized.
Encircling Web 3.0
The literal meaning of Web 3.0 is the Third Generation of Internet, the first two being Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 respectively. Web 3.0 is the next wave of the web which is more or less Berners-Lee’s version of the ‘Semantic Web’. In fact it is a combination of AI and Semantic Technology along with the know-how of Natural language processing so that computers are better able to understand humans. To give you a better insight about Web 3.0 let me discuss some of its salient features –
ü Semantic Technology – This evolution will no more rely on keywords or numbers for searching content on the web, rather it would understand the meaning of words and express them in a natural language comprehensible and usable by software agents.
ü AI (Artificial Intelligence) & Machine Learning Algorithms – Web 3.0 will be able to better understand humans by combining the capabilities of Semantic Technology and Natural Language Processing with AI and ML algorithms. This will highly improve relevance and speed searches and satisfy user expectations.
ü Better Connectivity – The credit for awesome connectivity of information in Web 3.0 goes to semantic metadata. You will have to simply connect your device to the web you have loads of information and services on your finger tips which you can reach out easily.
ü 3 D Design and Graphics – Web 3.0 will fade out the lines between the actual and the digital worlds. You will be able to see more of virtual and augmented reality things incorporated in various services and websites. You can easily imagine how much various sectors including medicine, travel, e-commerce, banking, etc. will benefit from this.
We can better understand or I would rather say look at the potential of Web 3.0 with an example. Suppose you wish to go on a holiday and have to plan out for the tickets, accommodation, restaurants and activities. It would be real backbreaking task. But with Web 3.0 you can just ask your search engine “I want to go for a holiday to Switzerland for 5 days, stay at a good hotel, vegetarian food and some adventure.” You will get more organized results based on your search thanks to the cognitive technology.
Behind the Scenes – Blockchain
Blockchain technology is playing a major role in making Web 3.0 a reality. Using it we can store smart data in the most secure way and interconnect it smartly. We can run different applications without any central server through the use of a decentralized ledger in the form of decentralized apps. If we look at another aspect of bolckchain and decentralization it will offer liberty of free speech to the users. On a blockchain network it will not be possible theoretically to remove any information without detecting it.
Impact of Web 3.0 on your Future
There is so much noise about Web 3.0 but aren’t we enjoying all we need today? Definitely, then what bonuses 3.0 will be offering? Well, in the era of Web 3.0 I hope internet will be a more crucial part of our everyday lives. You will be having access to any information on the web from virtually anywhere. Needless to say, to stay in the competition you will have to keep all your devices optimized, surely adaptive and responsive design will become the torch bearer. Users can get a more interactive experience with 3D graphics with WebGL.
Conclusion
The dream of Web 3.0 is quite close to become a reality but it is hard to establish a date when it will be fully functional. The transition has already begun with internet becoming an integral part of our lives. Despite various hurdles in the path like scalability, cost and awareness, the benefits offered by Web 3.0 takes it to a win win situation. In the world of Web 3.0 you will be a sovereign owning your data and appropriately compensated for your time and information.
