4.1 Web 1.0 to 2.0
Web 2.0 made the web read-write: users could publish, comment and share. It is the foundation of every social network, e-commerce site and SaaS product today. This lesson contrasts it with Web 1.0 and previews the Web 3.0 transition.
Three Generations of the Web
| Aspect | Web 1.0 (1991-2003) | Web 2.0 (2004-now) | Web 3.0 (emerging) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Static HTML pages | Dynamic feeds | Personalised + agentic |
| Writing | Webmaster only | Anyone (UGC, posts, reviews) | Wallet-signed, portable identity |
| Identity | Email, basic auth | OAuth, social login | Self-sovereign, DID |
| Data Ownership | Site owns content | Platform owns content | User owns via wallet |
| Monetisation | Banner ads | Targeted ads, freemium | Tokens, micropayments |
| Examples | Yahoo Directory, GeoCities | Facebook, YouTube, Shopify | ENS, Lens, IPFS sites |
Web 2.0 Building Blocks
Figure 5.2 - The advertising-funded Web 2.0 value loop.
Why It Matters For Engineers
Almost every Laravel app you ship lives in the Web 2.0 model. The architecture choices - user accounts, content moderation, recommendation feeds, ad serving - all flow from this loop.
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