The Web Evolution
From reading to owning
Web1~1990–2004
Read-Only
Static pages, open protocols
Users consume content
Web2~2004–Now
Read-Write
Social media, user-generated content
Platforms own your data
Web3Emerging
Read-Write-Own
Blockchain-based, decentralized
Users own data & assets
Before diving into the technology, it helps to understand the 'why' behind Web3. This module traces the internet's evolution, highlights the problems Web3 aims to solve, and lays out its philosophical foundations: decentralization, user sovereignty, and open protocols.
Web3 Timeline
35 years from static pages to user ownership
1991
Web 1.0: Read-only websites
Static HTML pages, one-way information flow
2004
Web 2.0: Read-write platforms
Social media, user-generated content, platform monopolies
2009
Bitcoin: first blockchain
Peer-to-peer money without banks or intermediaries
2015
Ethereum: programmable blockchain
Smart contracts turn blockchains into computers
2024
Web3: read-write-own
Users own their data, identity, and digital assets