Decentralized Applications In Web 3.0
Web 2.0 traditional apps such as Facebook and Twitter have backend codes running on centralized servers. They are owned and operated by an organization, granting full authority over the app and its workings.
Why dApps?
dApps are open source codes meaning they are transparent. Anyone can look at the code, increasing trust in the application.
DApps are censorship-resistant. They do not answer to any government, specific people, or regulatory authority, alleviating the possibility of blocking users from submitting data, deploying dApps, or accessing information from the blockchain unless the written code is intended.
DApps have no downtime since they run on a blockchain. They are run by many computers worldwide, and it is impractical to switch them off simultaneously.
dApps in Web3.0
1. Social Network dApps
Social network dApps are social media platforms built on the blockchain. Decentralized social networks are advantageous due to their censorship-resistant nature and inclusion of reward incentives to boost the ecosystem. Censorship resistance reduces unauthorized access to users’ personal information, eliminates data muzzling, and makes users data users’.
Web 3.0 ensures the privacy of millions of users is guaranteed as data leaks are eliminated. Examples of blockchain social networks on Web 3.0 include Sapien, Steemit, and Sola, among many others.
2. Messaging dApps
Private, decentralized messaging is a key vision of Web 3.0. Developers are at the task of developing a much-needed solution: a decentralized, privacy-preserving messaging protocol.
An estimated 3 billion people worldwide use messaging apps, sending an average of 145 billion messages daily. As the growth in messaging and trading and crypto ownership skyrockets, security and privacy issues have also increased. Several messaging applications have suffered data hacks, cyber thefts, and privacy violations:
A credible, secure, and user-friendly solution for seamless communication and trading of crypto assets is required, hence developing decentralized and encrypted messaging apps on blockchains. One such app is Secretum, developed on the highly innovative Solana blockchain. Secretum allows users to trade crypto as easily as sending an SMS easily.
Web 2 platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram are prone to data leaks and lack privacy. Web 3.0 messaging apps such as e-Chat, ySign, Obsidian, etc., have implemented the blockchain to maintain users’ privacy.
3. Cloud Storage
Although Centralization has its benefits--higher speeds, higher availability, fast throughput, disadvantages like censorship, lack of data privacy, ownership, and control, and security breaches are imminent.
China, for instance, limited the use of social media. Access to Twitter (NYSE: TWTR), YouTube, and Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) is limited. Access to Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is also restricted, only using state-controlled Baido as its main search engine.
A decentralized storage system relies on open participation and free-market principles enabling anyone to dive into the network. Data is shared twofold across several nodes within the distributed network to avoid instances of a network failure. Swarm is an example of a decentralized cloud storage system, a storage platform, and content dispensation service that credits Ethereum Web3.
Recently, there have been severe data breaches on several platforms with cloud storage, such as LinkedIn and Uber, which left usernames and passwords exposed. Blockchain on Web 3.0 will ensure that data storage is decentralized. Storage solutions on Web 3.0 include Filecoin, Storj, and MaidSAFE.
4. Streaming dApps
Current streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, Netflix, and Spotify are all centralized and utilize user data for advertising, breaking user privacy. Additionally, they have unclear policies and have been criticized for paying content creators low payments.
Streaming media has evolved from paid television to paid web services. Web 3.0 seeks to formalize free streaming for all. Piracy is prevalent in content consumption, with these platforms typically only benefiting the illegal users. Consumers are also forced to click-through ads as advertisers prey on clickability instead of actual click-through purchases.
A free streaming media services model enables a better consumer ecosystem, platforms, and advertisers alike, providing a formalized way for consumers to control their time and data while being rewarded for watching content they enjoy.
In Web 3.0, users will enjoy decentralized streaming services, giving equal opportunities to everyone. Examples of streaming platforms include Livepeer, Viuly, Flixxo, and Videocoin.
5. Web 3.0 browsers
Web 3.0 takes away authority from centralized institutions and gives control to users. Advantages of decentralization are the reasons for the growing acceptance of dApp browsers.
Decentralized social media and web 3.0 browsers incentivize users to engage with content or advertisement financially. These platforms and solutions do not sell off user data. It enhances a solid foundation for interoperability and facilitates data monetization—users benefit from their data with huge profits.
Web 3.0 browsers are decentralized applications that let you use the conventional features of browsers. Users take control of their allowing them to earn profits.
Web3 browsers are evolving the perception of online experiences, especially with the inclusion of many services such as decentralized file storage and IoT communications.
Examples of web 3.0 dApp browsers include Myether wallet, Brave browser, Metamask, Opera crypto brows, etc.
Author’s Thoughts
For the full adoption of Web 3.0, developers are at the task of developing core applications that will run on the Web to ensure a smooth transition from the existing Web to a decentralized Web that promises a better digital experience.