The World Wide Web has come a long way since it was first created in the early 1990s. From its humble beginnings as a network of static websites, it has morphed into a complex ecosystem of interconnected applications and services.This evolution can be divided into three distinct phases: Web 1.0, Web 2.0, , Web 3.0 and Metaverse a proposed extension of web 3.0

I happen to post a thought sometime back on how to explain Metaverse to a Chef — It generated a lot of interest and requests to elaborate it further in simple words — So here I am with a short article explaining some commonly used terms like web 3.0 ,the evolution of internet with the new parallel universe of metaverse and most importantly the difference between web 3.0 and metaverse .

Evolution of Internet

The original vision for the Internet was of a global network of computers connecting people and information. This dream has largely been realized, but the way we use the Internet has changed dramatically since it was first conceived.

In the early days of the Internet, most users were connected via dial-up modems and accessed text-based websites through terminal applications like telnet and gopher. The World Wide Web, which we now think of as the Internet, was invented in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee while working at CERN. His vision was to create a “web” of interconnected documents that could be accessed from anywhere in the world.

The first web browser, Mosaic, was released in 1993 and quickly became popular due to its graphical interface. This sparked a boom in web development and growth of the commercial Internet in the 1990s. Since then, there have been many advances in web technology including the development of dynamic web pages, streaming media, and social networking — which the web 2.0 as we know — the interactive web .The rise of mobile devices and wireless connectivity has also transformed how we use the Internet. We now carry around miniaturized computers in our pockets that give us access to email, maps, videos, and more at any time of day. It’s hard to imagine a world without the Internet now, but it’s only been around for a few decades!

Web 1.0 , Web 2.0 , Web 3.0 and Web 5.0

Web 1.0 was the first generation of the World Wide Web, characterized by static HTML pages and simple hyperlinking between pages. The UI and UX were simple: you would click on one hyperlink to access another and another and so on . This was the Read Only web with very less interaction.

Web 2.0 saw the rise of dynamic web applications and social networking sites. In the current web 2.0 model, users’ data is stored centrally on servers owned by companies like Facebook and Google. This gives these companies a lot of power over their users, as they can sell this data to advertisers or use it to manipulate people’s behavior. The collection of personal data and personality traits via cookies , integration to social media via Pixel codes is basically tracking you over the internet with a constant pushing of ads and offers. Sometimes a website nowadays has more ads and less content.

Web 3.0 is characterized by the use of semantic web technologies to create a more intelligent and interconnected web. In the Internet of web 3.0 , the users will have control over their data .Web 3.0 can be coined as a decentralized Internet of Assets where people can own a multitude of things by just having them on their tablet.Web 3.0 will the Internet to connect people , places and things where each person and thing will be recognized by unique identity. The uniqueness comes with the NFTs which are NON fungible tokens which represent the uniqueness of the person as a Digital Identity or the thing as the unique token

Web 5.0 is something which Jack Dorsey ( ex twitter CEO ) has come up with which is a decentralized Internet being built on Bitcoin blockchain and seems to be a combination of Web 2.0 + Web 3.0.

But whatever interaction we are doing is in the 2D world.We are currently witnessing the third phase of evolution of the internet where the engagement and interaction will go from 2D to 3D.The Metaverse is a proposed future extension of the Internet into a three-dimensional virtual world.

Difference between Metaverse and Web 3.0

The terms “web 3.0” and “metaverse” are often used interchangeably, but there is a key distinction between the two concepts. Web 3.0 is an umbrella term for a set of emerging technologies that aim to create a more decentralized, interoperable and user-centric internet. The metaverse, on the other hand, is a shared virtual space where people can interact with each other and with digital content in a three-dimensional environment.

While web 3.0 technologies are being built on top of the existing internet infrastructure, the metaverse is being designed as a standalone parallel universe. In the metaverse, users will have avatars that represent them in the virtual world. These avatars will be able to interact with each other and with digital objects in real time.

One of the key goals of web 3.0 is to give users more control over their data and privacy. With web 3.0 technologies like decentralized storage and blockchain-based identity management, users will be able to own their own data and decide who has access to it.

The metaverse is also being designed with privacy and security in mind. In contrast to the current

How web 3.0 and Metaverse will change the world

We are on the cusp of a new era of computing and Web 3.0 is the next stage in the development of the World Wide Web, one where virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) will change the way we live, work, and play. In this new era, the Metaverse will be the platform that enables all these technologies to come together. The Metaverse is a decentralized, global platform that will provide the infrastructure for a new economy and a new way of socializing and interacting. It will be built on blockchain technology, with 5G /6G connectivity and edge computing providing the foundation for a truly immersive experience. AR and VR will provide the ability to interact with digital content in a realistic and natural way, while AI will enable us to interact with the Metaverse in a more personal and intelligent manner. Together, these technologies will create a meta-world that is far more immersive than anything we have experienced before. The Metaverse will be open to all, with anyone able to create their own avatar and explore virtual worlds created by others. The possibilities are endless, and the potential for social interaction, economic activity, and creativity are unprecedented.

To conclude , tif you are reading this blog on Linkedin or Medium — you are on web 2.0 , If you are reading it on mirror , you are already in **web 3.0 **domain and can even collect it as a NFT . When you enter the Metaverse , instead of reading — maybe my hologram will read it out for you :)