Web 1.0? Web 2.0? Web 3.What? - Web Versions Explained

I've heard about web version on almost regular basis, but I never really took any interest in understanding what they are and what they mean. Some people referred to web version based on the design trends. I even saw a guy on Twitter classifying web versions based on the widely used fonts in a specific era, no-kidding!

But web versions are attributed based on the structure of the World Wide Web itself. Let's see what it actually means!

Web 1.0

Web 1.0; the very beginning of the web. It's referred to as the "read-only web". When the World Wide Web was created, the main purpose behind this creation was to make information available widely to anyone around the global.

Organizations, researches and individuals contributed to Web 1.0 and create a globally available shared structure of information -- which at the time was read-only. People could look up the information, search and read.

The big example today would be the WikiPedia project.

Web 2.0

Soon after the invention of the World Wide Web, it was apparent that the web can't only be about sharing read-only information. Interactivity was needed -- and Web 2.0 was born, a "read-write web".

Sharing the information and encouraging user interactivity in the form of comments, forum system and social media websites all fall under Web 2.0. Some major examples would be Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.

Web 3.0

By the time Web 3.0 came by, it was apparent that not only humans, computers also needed to be able to understand the information that was being shared on the World Wide Web. Web 3.0 or "read-write-execute web" is as we see the web today. Information is semantically structured in order to be able to read and processed by both humans and the computers.

Communication between computer systems is made possible via web services in the form of application programming interfaces (APIs).

Data is transferred and processed between different computer systems and then presented to the users in a way that it can be read and understood as easily as possible.

Web 4.0

Web 4.0 is the mobile web. Information is easily available on all kids of devices, mobile phones, wearable devices, PCs and in-between.

Web 4.0 connects all devices in the real and the virtual world in real-time to make information accessible everywhere.

Web 5.0

Web 5.0 or the symbiotic web will be able to predict needs from your behaviour with many cues -- just like today's virtual assistants. Web 5.0 will act in true symbiosis with the daily life.

It's also possible that Web 5.0 will be able to present different, tailored-made experiences, for individual users -- based on, perhaps, their emotions and behaviours.

Web 5.0, right now, is a dream of a not-so-distant future.

Modern websites mainly use the features from older versions like Web 1.0, Web 2.0 or Web 3.0. Websites implementing those old strategies are not considered out-dated.

Technologies that can enable the future of World Wide Web, for example the Web 5.0, do exist today and are rapidly evolving. It's only a matter of time each person would be able to see the World Wide Web that's tailored-made for that individual only -- without unnecessary noise around the web.

Perhaps, one day, you will able to leave an update on your Facebook page without lifting a finger, only by thinking about it with a nano chip embedded inside your head (Yes, it was a Black Mirror reference!).