The decentralized web is a network of independent computers that provide secure, censorship-resistant access to information and services without relying on central servers or clouds, using decentralized computing.
Decentralized computing has a long theoretical and practical history in the design of robust systems. The internet itself was designed around principles of decentralization, allowing an unknown network of machines to be organically connected, addressed, and updated over time without a central administration.
In the development of the internet, Web 1.0 is sometimes described as primarily static webpages with minimal interactivity; while Web 2.0 was described as the "read/write" web, with dynamic content and user interaction, including platforms like YouTube and the advent of smartphones which could easily capture and broadcast information from anywhere.[1] The rise of cloud computing and large platforms that served the needs of Web 2.0 led to a recentralization of the internet around those services.
Web 3.0 is the name given to a decentralized web movement that is sometimes described as a "read/write/own" stage of internet development. It focuses on decentralizing the underlying infrastructure of the internet, shifting away from centralized data storage and management using new protocols and technologies. Motivation for this includes:
Like the centralized data storage of the centralized web, decentralized web protocols provide a shared data layer, eliminating the need for centralized data centers. This means data is stored on users' computers and used across various decentralized applications.
BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer filesharing networks are one of the earliest successful decentralized protocols, allowing for file sharing and storage without a central archive, and allowing large files to be shared by many participants who could not store it in its entirety. Blockchain networks are a more recent example of decentralized tools and systems, in particular built on low-trust networks and transactions.[4] [5]
In 2021, BitTorrent announced the development of Project Maelstrom to develop a fully decentralized and censorship-resistant browser.[6] Other decentralized browsers such as Beaker have been developed building on top of IPFS and other file-storage protocols.
Starting in 2016, the Internet Archive and Protocol Labs began hosting a regular DWeb Summit dedicated to new technical and social communities building the decentralized web.[7] [8] [9]