“The World Wide Web refers to the pages or sites that you encounter whenever you browse online. It enables millions of web documents and other useful web resources to be accessible over the internet through web servers. These documents and downloadable media files can also be accessed via programs called web browsers.

The World Wide Web is further divided into 3 different versions Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0. This guide will go over each of them in detail and list their similarities and differences as well.”

What is Web 1.0?

Starting with the first version of the World Wide Web, we have Web 1.0.

Web 1.0 started when a small group of people came up with the idea that it was going to revolutionize the whole Internet. These people started with writing content and created web pages to share information, facts, and content with the rest of the internet users.

Web 1.0’s main aim was to help people find better information easier and faster. It is the ‘Read-Only’ version of the web dedicated to users searching for content over the internet.

Here are some important characteristics of Web 1.0:

• It is the first version of the World Wide Web.
• Web pages are static and are connected with different systems via hyperlinks.
• It is referred to as the read-only web. It began as a small group of people writing and sharing content for a larger group of audience.
• It offers unidirectional communication because of the read-only and static nature of web pages.

Web 1.0 came out in 1991 and marked its end in 2004. It was succeeded by Web 2.0

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 was the second iteration of the World Wide Web. It became instantly famous when it was presented at the first Web 2.0 conference by Tim O’Reilly and Dale Dougherty.

The feature that distinguished Web 2.0 from Web 1.0 was that it offered a bidirectional form of communication, where the users were not only able to read the content available but also interact with it. Web 2.0 is focused on allowing end users to not only participate but also contribute.

Web 2.0 also incorporated advanced web browsing technologies like JavaScript frameworks to enhance and make it better than its predecessor.

Here are some notable facts about Web 2.0:

• Succeeded Web 1.0 in the year 2004, and took more than a decade for complete implementation.
• It is reproducible, reusable, and user-to-user interactive.
• It is dynamic where it allows users to interact with the content instead of just reading it.
• Nowadays, advanced tools like AJAX and JavaScript frameworks are widely used to create Web 2.0 websites.
• Web 2.0 contains many social sites where people share their opinions, thoughts, experiences, etc.
• Web 2.0 is widely used for social networking, posting, blogging, media sharing, etc.

What is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 is the next stage in the evolution of the World Wide Web, where there will be a strong emphasis on a decentralized ecosystem built on blockchain technology. A decentralized ecosystem will remove the interference of any central authority and thus pave the way toward an open, secure, and permissionless form of communication.

Web 3.0 will also utilize advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning to achieve systems and software programs that will work with near human intelligence. It will also allow the use of blockchain-based technologies like cryptocurrencies. This will allow users to make transactions using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Web 3.0 hasn’t been implemented fully yet and is still in its initial stages of development. It is continuously evolving and might take at least 10 years, if not more, for its full implementation.
Some important characteristics of Web 3.0 are as follows:

• Web 3.0 won’t be under any third party or central authority influence, unlike Web 1.0 and 2.0, where the applications and payment methods were largely centralized.
• Web 3.0 incorporates more advanced features mimicking human intelligence using artificial intelligence.
• Web 3.0 is blockchain-friendly and will allow the use of cryptocurrencies to replace fiat currency.
• Web 3.0 will allow users to have complete control over their data. Companies and corporations without users’ permission won’t be able to access their data. This will also allow users to sell their data and earn from it.

Conclusion

In short, for comparison, we can say that Web 1.0 was a “read-only” web where users were only able to share data and couldn’t interact with it. Web 2.0 is more interactive and is called the “participative social” web, where users can upload content and interact with it by commenting, tagging, following, replying, and more. Lastly, in Web 3.0, users can read, write and execute. The internet is slowly moving away from a centralized ecosystem towards a more open, secure, and decentralized ecosystem. We will also see the incorporation of advanced technologies to make our life more autonomous and digital while promising us a more personalized browsing experience.