Since Tim Berners-Lee founded the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989, the internet has undergone a significant evolution. Berners-Lee originally developed a method for sharing and exchanging information among scientists across different locations while working at CERN, the European Center for Particle Physics Research. The system’s three core components – the HTML language for document design, the HTTP protocol for transmission, and the URL address for identification and location – have played a crucial role in shaping the evolution of the internet.
In 1991, the first website went online and contained details on the World Wide Web project itself. Only a text-based browser named “WorldWideWeb,” developed by Berners-Lee himself, allowed access to it. Mosaic, the first graphical web browser, was created by the National Center for Super computing Applications in 1993. (NCSA). Mosaic gained widespread use and improved accessibility for all users of the web.
Now let’s get into detail about different versions of the web:
Web 1.0 (Read Only)
The first generation of the World Wide Web, known as Web 1.0, ran from the 1990s to the early 2000s. The web was mostly utilised during this time to share static HTML pages with nothing in the way of interactive features or dynamic content. Websites were frequently just collections of content and pictures with little room for user interaction. There were few search engines and standardised methods of linking to other pages, making it challenging to navigate the internet. Web 1.0 was an early iteration of the internet that was primarily used for the presentation of information in a legible style with little user engagement.
Web 2.0 (Participative Social Web)
The second generation of the World Wide Web, known as Web 2.0, is defined by a change from static to dynamic and interactive websites. Users can actively interact with the content on these new kinds of websites by sharing, developing, and working together on it. Web 2.0 technologies include things like social media, wikis, blogs, and web-based programmes. Utilising user data and tools like AJAX and APIs, these technologies also make it possible to create experiences that are more sophisticated and individualised.
In general, Web 2.0 is regarded as heralding the shift from the web being a platform for online collaboration and social interaction to the web becoming a collection of connected documents.
Web 3.0 (Read, Write and Execute Web)
The next stage of the World Wide Web’s development is known as Web 3.0, and it is defined by the usage of cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the decentralised web (also known as the “DWeb” or “Web 3.0”). With a focus on building decentralised networks that empower people and offer them greater control over their online data and experiences, this next version of the web intends to be more intelligent, responsive, and user-centric. The blockchain, which enables safe, open, and unchangeable data storage and transactions, is one of the core technologies powering Web 3.0.
This ushers in a new era of opportunities, allowing for things like decentralised finance (DeFi), which enables programmable money, smart contracts, and decentralised applications (DApp), which can operate without intermediaries.