Moving from a web of rented platform accounts to a web of verifiable states held by cryptographic keys.
In Web2, your identity, assets, and access live inside private databases owned by intermediaries. Web3 replaces the central server with a shared public ledger (the blockchain) and replaces usernames and passwords with a cryptographic key pair that only you control.
From static documents (1995) to social platforms (2005), and now to direct ownership of assets and rights via private keys.
A blockchain runs continuously: every block locks in transaction history without unilateral rewriting.
A single cryptographic address unlocks hundreds of applications without creating accounts or handing over an email.
Public ledger replicated across thousands of independent nodes.
Each block bundles validated transactions and links to the previous block via a cryptographic fingerprint (hash).
Anyone can inspect an address balance and the entire transaction history back to the genesis block.
Software programs deployed directly onto the blockchain.
As soon as coded conditions are met, execution is automatic, deterministic, and public (`if A sends X, transfer Y`).
Verified source code is publicly readable: the rules cannot be silently changed mid-game.
Digital representation of value, currency, or rights on the ledger.
The native asset (e.g., ETH) pays for network computation (gas). Tokens (ERC-20, ERC-3643) follow programmable standards.
Total supply, issuance, and holder distribution are auditable down to the second.
Your personal cryptographic keychain to read state and sign instructions.
Your public address (`0x...`) receives assets; your private key produces an unforgeable signature without ever revealing itself.
No bank or software vendor can sign a transaction on your behalf as long as you guard your recovery phrase.
| Dimension | Web 1.0 (1991–2004) | Web 2.0 (2004–Today) | Web 3.0 (Open Architecture) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Verb | Read (Static pages) | Read + Write (Social & Cloud) | Read + Write + Own (Ledgers) |
| Identity & Access | None or local session | Email + password / OAuth (Google, Apple) | Cryptographic key pair (Wallet) |
| Where Data Lives | Publisher’s web server | Closed corporate databases | Decentralised, publicly verifiable state |
| Value Transfer | External (cheques, card gateways) | Closed banking rails & intermediary fees | Protocol-native (peer-to-peer via smart contracts) |
| Portability | Low (hyperlinks) | Locked in (cannot export your social/asset graph) | Complete (your wallet carries assets across any dApp) |
No. Your assets always live on the public blockchain ledger. Your wallet (such as Rabby) only holds the cryptographic keys proving that those ledger entries belong to you.
Gas compensates validators who execute the computation and record your transaction on the global ledger, while preventing infinite network spam.
Layer 1 is the ultimate security settlement layer. Layer 2 networks bundle thousands of transactions at a fraction of a cent before anchoring their cryptographic proof onto Ethereum.
19 dossiers
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published
Published