Web 3.0 is the next step in the development of the Internet. In contrast to Web 1.0, which consisted primarily of static web pages, and Web 2.0, which brought greater dynamics and technological improvements to the World Wide Web, Web 3.0 is based on decentralized networks built on blockchain.
Web 3.0 developers are in high demand because there are still few experts in this field. So, if you are an experienced Web 2.0 engineer looking to enter this new field, you may be wondering where to start. What fundamental tools, concepts, and technologies need to be mastered?
In this article, you will get acquainted with Web 3.0, learn about its important features and differences from Web 2.0, as well as what technical solutions you need to be able to operate to enter this area of development.
Web 3.0
Before moving on to the technologies used in Web 3.0 applications, we will look at this concept and its main value.
Web 3.0 has five key features:
- decentralization
- blockchain
- safety
- scalability
- Confidentiality
In the decentralized world of Web 3.0, blockchain technology and other protocols are fundamentally changing the way data is stored, distributed, and used while providing a native transaction layer. Popular use cases for this paradigm include decentralization of financial flows (DeFi and cryptocurrencies), voting through a decentralized organization known as a DAO, and non-functional tokens (NFTs) serving as proof of ownership.
It may sound cynical, but the main motivation for the development of the Web 3.0 concept is due to the gradual loss of mutual trust between users, companies, and governments.
In a decentralized financial system, users store their savings in private wallets and make transactions without any connection to a centralized structure or relying on fiat government currency.
If we talk about a voting application, its creation based on blockchain can ensure complete transparency of the information provided by voters and the ability to verify it by anyone. This is what defines the concept of Web 3.0 as “removing the element of trust,” since this technology is transparent and cryptographically secure, which means there is no need for blind faith in government and commercial structures.
In turn, NFTs can be used to prove ownership of any digital asset such as music and works of art. At the same time, with the help of such tokens, it is also possible to more directly support the creator of this or that content.
All of these examples involve some basic activities for which there is no longer a need to rely on central government agencies or intermediate authorities.
It is important to note here that Web 3.0 is not a replacement for Web 2.0, just as Web 2.0 did not replace Web 1.0. There is still a place on the Internet for the static websites that characterized the early days of Web 1.0. Even with the growing popularity and prevalence of Web 3.0, there will still be a place for Web 2.0 on the Internet.
Decentralized applications (Dapps)
Now you have a basic understanding of what Web 3.0 is and why decentralization is important. But what exactly do Web 3.0 applications look like?
Well, they look just like Web 2.0 apps. Decentralized applications, also called “dApps” and “dApps,” consist of a front-end (UI) that interacts with a “smart contract” (a small program) deployed on the blockchain. This front end can also interact with the user's wallet when conducting transactions or writing data to the blockchain.
The key difference from Web 2.0 applications is that the smart contract and blockchain replace the typical server and database owned by a single person or company that maintains it.
Technologies at the heart of working with Web 3.0
How is a decentralized application created? The good news is that you can start here by building on your existing programming skills. We already understood that the dApp is front-end, which means you will need to know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Unless you are planning to write applications in vanilla JS, then you will probably also need to master frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue. All this, of course, is great for front-end developers who are familiar with these things. But that's not all.
Below we will look at some of the languages, tools, and frameworks that you will need to learn specifically for Web 3.0.
Solidity is a language used to write smart contracts that run on the Ethereum blockchain. It resembles a mixture of C++, Python, and JavaScript. If you have already mastered several programming languages, then you know that each new one comes easier. Since most smart contracts involve some financial exchange, it will be very important to follow certain standards and best security practices.
On the website, the developers describe it as “a development environment, testing framework, and blockchain asset processing pipeline using the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).” Similar to how React helps you write JS applications, Truffle helps you with smart contracts.
You don't have to use it, but the framework will help a lot by abstracting away some of the complex implementation details. For those who use VS Code, the Truffle extension for VS Code will make life even easier.
Ganache is a personal blockchain for local smart contract development and testing. It allows programmers to create a local instance of the Ethereum blockchain with just a few simple commands. Similar to how you develop a Web 2.0 application on localhost or in a test environment rather than in production, Ganache allows you to do the same when designing for Web 3.0.
Web3.js is a JS library used to interact with Ethereum. It is used in the front-end application to perform actions such as connecting to the user's wallet, providing access to the smart contract, and calling functions on this smart contract. Smart contracts can be accessed through the command line or the UI, and web3.js allows you to do this through the UI.
MetaMask is a Web 3.0 wallet that can be used through its browser extension or mobile app. Wallets were already mentioned above, but no specific description was given. A blockchain wallet provides an interface for accessing your digital financial assets. You protect its contents with a private key that is known only to you. For users, MetaMask provides a secure way to connect to and interact with blockchain application development from wallets. For developers, wallets are needed to deploy smart contracts and work with them. Typically this requires adding private keys to your code, but Truffle Dashboard allows you to connect your MetaMask wallet to your project without exposing the keys.
Infura is an infrastructure provider for connecting to Ethereum and other blockchains, as well as decentralized storage networks such as IPFS. Without going into details, any interaction with the blockchain requires access to the node via JSON-RPC or Websocket. Infura provides the infrastructure for this, eliminating the need for you to create your own node on your machine. This service can also act as a safety net in case you do decide to run your own node. In addition, Infura provides a suite of development tools and other capabilities for creating applications. This is an additional abstraction on top of some of the technologies already discussed that will make Web 3.0 development even easier.
Can't wait to dive deeper into learning the tools described? Now that you're familiar with the general features of each, you're ready to start writing your first Web 3.0 application. There are many lessons on this topic on the Internet, and they all rely on most of these technologies in one way or another. To help beginners, the ConsenSys team offers dozens of “ Truffle Boxes,” which are templates you can use to start your first project. If you are fluent in English and are looking for an organized way to join the ranks of Web 3.0 developers, then I recommend the ConsenSys Academy website.
Conclusion
Web 3.0 is the next stage in the development of the Internet, which supports the latest generation of software. Blockchain is the most transparent technology, which has already become mainstream not only among ordinary consumers but also among serious social and business structures.
Understanding and mastering this development technology will give you a clear advantage in entering this labor market.
Those of you who already have knowledge and experience working with Web 2.0 will feel more confident at the initial stage. Take the time to master the technologies listed, and you will be ready faster than you ever imagined.
