When we look at the history of the internet, we can realize the existence of Web1, Web2, and Web3. At the moment, a lot of people are using Web2 that is the common internet type while Web3 is the future and autonomous of the internet.
Because of the existence of Web2 and Web3, people can confuse about these notions. In other words, some people think that there are no big differences between Web2 and Web3, but the thought is wrong. Now, we want to explain the main differences between these two terms.
Four Differences Between Web2 and Web3
Web2 and Web3 have similar backgrounds, and they are similar technologies, but their approaches are different from each other. Because of their approaches, there are significant differences between Web2 and Web3.
Generally, Web2 considers reading and writing content while Web3 focuses on creating content. In addition to this basic difference, we want to share other differences between them.
Connection
As you can predict, Web2 is the improved version of Web1; Web1 has static web pages, so there is no interaction on these pages. On the other hand, Web2 focuses on interaction, and community development occurs with the version of the internet. For instance, people can write their comments on web pages and share their ideas with other users in different ways, like oral or written.
When we consider Web3, we can realize that the decentralized structure of Web3 provides users with more control over the internet. Moreover, the security during interactions in Web3 is higher than in Web2, so we can say that building connections in Web3 is better than in Web2.
Type of Currency
As you know, we can make payments with fiat, which is government-issued money, in Web2 while Web3 accepts cryptocurrencies, like WAX, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and so on. These encrypted digital currencies show the decentralized structure of Web3 while Web2 shows its centralized structure with its payment processes.
Context
Like the crypto type, the context is also different in Web2 and Web3. In Web2, we can encounter video sites, social media platforms, RSS feeds, blogs, podcasts, and so on. On the other hand, Web3 is more technological, so it covers more interesting contexts. For instance, we can mention Metaverse as content of Web3. Also, decentralized applications (dApps), NFT-based projects, and 3D portals are covered by Web3. Under the technological side of Web3, there are various technologies, like virtual reality, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain technology, and machine learning.
Speed
This difference can be unbelievable for some people, but Web2 is faster than Web3! Web3 uses HTTP in unique web addresses, so it keeps information in a fixed place, like a single server. Due to this situation, the transfers in Web2 are quicker. On the other hand, Web3 offers ownership, so its speed is lower than Web2’s speed.
Conclusion
When Web2 and Web3 are compared, some people think that Web3 is better because it is more secure and transparent while some people think that Web2 is more useful and easier to use. We can say that each term is better than the other one at different points, so we should focus on the properties of both Web2 and Web3.