On a weekend afternoon, while idling in a café, I finished reading Illustrated Web3.0 (《图解Web3.0》). As a programmer long immersed in the world of traditional internet development, my relationship with Web3.0 had always been one of “I’ve heard a lot of concepts but can’t quite explain what’s going on.” This book, in plain language and with plenty of diagrams, helped me clarify the core logic of Web3.0.
The Evolution from Web1.0 to Web3.0
The book first lays out the three stages of internet development:
Web1.0 (the read-only era): in the 1990s, web pages were static and users could only passively browse content. The internet then was like an online magazine—information was published by a few, and most people were just consumers.
Web2.0 (the read-write era): after 2000, social media, blogs, and video platforms rose. Users could not only consume content but also produce it (UGC). But the problem was—the platforms controlled all the data and traffic, forming the monopoly of the five tech giants GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft).
Web3.0 (the era of ownership): its core feature is “decentralization.” Users no longer depend on centralized platforms, but connect directly through blockchain technology, and truly own the data and digital assets they create.
“One of Web3.0’s goals is to help users break free from the monopolistic rule of the tech giants.”
Core Technology: Blockchain and Smart Contracts
The underlying support of Web3.0 is blockchain technology. The book uses a vivid metaphor: a blockchain is like a public ledger that cannot be tampered with—all transaction records are stored in a distributed way across countless computers worldwide, rather than concentrated on one company’s servers.
Smart contracts are self-executing programs that run on the blockchain. For example, in an NFT transaction, one can pre-set the rule that “each time the item is resold, 10% royalties are automatically paid to the original creator”—no human intervention needed, no third-party intermediary needed. This is exactly the “trustless” feature the book emphasizes—no need to trust a company or individual, only to trust the code and algorithms.
Three Cutting-Edge Applications of Web3.0
1. NFT (Non-Fungible Token)
NFT gives digital works “uniqueness” for the first time. Previously, digital art could be copied infinitely, with no difference between the original and copies. But through NFTs, creators can stamp a unique digital mark on a work, clarifying ownership.
The book mentions a classic case: Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s first tweet was sold as an NFT for 300 million yen (about 15 million RMB). This made me realize that in the Web3.0 era, the concept of “owning” is being redefined.
2. DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
Traditional finance requires intermediaries like banks and brokerages. DeFi allows users to directly perform lending, trading, and wealth management on the blockchain—no KYC needed, no review needed, running 24/7.
3. DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)
This is the part I’m most interested in. A DAO is a new form of organization where members gain voting rights by holding tokens, and major decisions are made by community vote rather than by a CEO’s unilateral say.
“In a traditional company, only a tiny few—senior leaders or founders—hold absolute decision-making power; whereas in a DAO, there is no manager who holds decision-making power, and all members, according to the proportion of tokens they hold, equally enjoy the right to speak.”
This form of organization is especially suited to open-source projects and creator communities—participants not only contribute code/content but also share in the gains from the organization’s growth.
The Metaverse: The Era of Virtual First
The book devotes a lot of space to discussing the relationship between the metaverse and Web3.0. Facebook renamed itself Meta, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard—the tech giants are all betting on virtual reality.
The author argues that the metaverse will develop in three stages:
- Capturing the gaming market (the current stage)
- Entering education and enterprise collaboration
- The post-smartphone era (AR glasses become the mainstream device)
An interesting observation: “COVID-19” objectively accelerated the shift to “virtual first.” Remote work and online meetings became the norm, and people began to wonder—“is it really necessary to buy a spacious, bright office in a prime location of the real world?”
My Thoughts and Reflections
After finishing the book, I have a more three-dimensional understanding of Web3.0, but I also have some questions:
On the opportunities side:
- The creator economy will gain unprecedented room for growth; music, art, and writing can all be directly monetized through NFTs
- The “audience economy” replaces the “platform economy”; talented individuals can connect directly with supporters, without having to rely on big companies
- Cross-border collaboration becomes easier; DAOs give distributed teams an efficient organizational form
On the challenges side:
- The “VR motion sickness” problem mentioned in the book makes me think of the obstacles to technology adoption. Not everyone can adapt to being immersed in a virtual world for long periods
- Regulatory uncertainty. Governments are still feeling their way on policies for cryptocurrencies and NFTs
- The wealth gap may worsen. Although Web3.0 promises “everyone is equal,” early participants and big capital still hold the advantage
Conclusion
Web3.0 is not a revolution overnight, but a gradual paradigm shift. As the book says: “Investing in existing businesses that already exist in front of you is simple, but this may not necessarily be the best time to invest. To achieve greater success, choosing the right timing to enter the market is crucial.”
As a technical person, I believe keeping an open mind and learning continuously is essential. No matter what form Web3.0 ultimately takes, the distributed thinking, cryptographic principles, and incentive mechanism design behind it are all worth our deep understanding.
Perhaps one day in the future, we’ll look back on today and exclaim: “So that was the starting point of Web3.0.”
Book information:
- Title: Illustrated Web3.0 (《图解Web3.0》)
- Author: Naoto Kato [Japan]
- Reading time: about 3 hours
- Recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (suitable for Web3.0 beginners)
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