A software program called a web service enables computer-to-computer communication over the Internet. However, web services are not new and usually take the form of an application programming interface (API). The Web is a collection of related hypertext documents that can be viewed online. For example, a user examines web pages that may contain multimedia using a web browser and uses hyperlinks to move between them.
Tim Berners-Lee, who was employed by CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Geneva, Switzerland, invented the web in 1989. Since then, Berners-Lee has actively led the development of web standards and pushed for the creation of the Semantic Web, also called Web3.
The expression “Web3” is used to characterize the multiple evolutions of the interaction and use of the Web along various paths, including the creation of a geospatial Web, the use of artificial intelligence tools and the content delivery through many browserless applications or web browsers3. A Web3 browser introduces users to a new world of decentralized applications (DApps) and digital economies.
This article discusses the fundamentals of Web3, the main features of a Web3 browser, how a Web3 browser works and how to use it.
What is a Web3 browser?
Web3 browsers help users interact with decentralized applications based on blockchain technology. Web3 technologies such as distributed ledgers, artificial intelligence, Metaverse, and others aim to create the next-generation Internet that is accessible to everyone and delivers benefits.
The main features of a Web3 browser include:
- Immutable ecosystem, i.e. trust that people will download the digital product as the original creator intended.
- Enhanced transparency and security,
- Faster browsing performance,
- Complete user anonymity and confidentiality,
- Integrate cryptocurrency wallets with multiple blockchains,
- Full control over content through decentralization.
Additionally, search engines can find auto-tagged microcontent text in Web3, calling for converting countless Web1 macro content into microcontent. Since markup can somewhat eliminate the uncertainty that homonyms and synonyms introduce to the search process, the end result can be a more precise search.
How does a Web3 browser work?
The world of DApps and digital economies is made accessible through Web3 internet browsers. By leveraging cryptography and public blockchains, the Web3 browser places control on users, undoing centralized institutions. Additionally, consumers are financially rewarded for interacting with content or viewing carefully curated advertisements on decentralized social media platforms and web browsers3.
But how do Web3 browsers change the online experience? Web3 browsers allow users to use standard browser functionality. They are essentially decentralized applications that allow users to retain ownership of their data and share their revenue. So, is Chrome a Web3 browser? No, Chrome is a Web2 browser like Firefox and Safari. However, users can access Web3 applications with Web2 browsers using a Web3 wallet like MetaMask.
How to use a Web3 browser?
Web3 wallets can be integrated into traditional web browsers, providing DApp browser functionality by enabling flexible access to decentralized applications without the help of other intermediaries while retaining full ownership of their assets. Additionally, users can access the Web3 economy without going through Know Your Customer (KYC) or Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures.
Additionally, crypto assets can be stored and managed efficiently using Web3 wallets. However, if one loses his seed phrase, he can lose funds, unlike centralized custodial wallets. So which Web3 browser would suit your needs? Let’s learn about the different Web3 internet browsers in the sections below.
Opera Web3 browser
Crypto-curious and blockchain-savvy users can enjoy a seamless, private, and secure Web3 experience with Opera Crypto Browser with features like phishing protection, secure clipboard, malicious address checker, and the portfolio selector, the industry’s first multi-portfolio. Management tool. Ether (ETH), ERC-20, and ERC-721 tokens are supported by the built-in crypto wallet and multiple blockchains, including Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Bitcoin-enabled chains, and Layer 2 solutions. Plus, Opera has a strong partner network with partners like Solana or Polygon across the crypto ecosystem.
Additionally, users can quickly access WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Twitter and other social apps in the desktop Crypto Browser sidebar to stay connected to their communities at all times. Additionally, users can access upcoming airdrops, industry updates and event schedules, gas costs, educational content and more through the integrated Crypto Corner.
If you want to use the Opera Web3 browser, you must first download the Opera Crypto browser for Android, Windows or Mac (iOS will be available soon). Then, if you already have a wallet, you can use it or create an Opera wallet to use the features mentioned above.
Puma Web3 Browser
Ukrainian-Canadian developer Yuriy Dybskiy founded Puma Browser in January 2019. It provides access to Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and Handshake (HNS) and InterPlanetaryFileSystem (IPFS) domains, as well as transparent payments for content creators, application and game developers via Coil Content Network and Interledger protocol. Using the Puma browser, web monetization works as follows:
- A monthly fee of $5 is paid by Coil members to access user-created content.
- Interested users create a digital wallet and earn money from their content. Every hour a Coil member spends watching user content earns them $0.36 in Coil.
- As Coil members value user content, Coil streams funds to their wallets.
Brave Web3 Browser
Brave is open-source software that offers privacy-protecting features along with a free business model. It enhances users’ awesome browser app with free video calls, fully self-contained search, offline playlists, and even a personalized newsfeed. Brave, by default, prohibits obscene trackers and advertisements on all websites users visit. Additionally, Brave’s all-new Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Gallery feature provides users with a streamlined interface to view and manage NFT collections.
Additionally, by watching advertisements, one can earn passive income in Basic Attention Tokens (BAT). Another notable feature of the Brave Web3 browser is the incorporation of IPFS functionality, which enables integrated decentralized file storage and reduces data concentration by distributing file storage across a global network.
beaker browser
Beaker Browser allows hosting peer-to-peer websites, called Hyperdrives, in private mode. Only those who have the link to a Hyperdrive can access the website once it is created. To create hostless applications, the Beaker browser offers new APIs while remaining compatible with the rest of the Web.
Beaker displays the full site structure in a GitHub-like format, unlike most browsers which display the page source code to website visitors. Even better, one can host their own fork of the website.
Osiris Navigator
The world’s first net-neutral browser, Osiris hopes to free people from the commercialism, shackles of censorship, and prejudice that have crept on the Internet. Osiris claims that it is a blockchain-based browser that by default disallows all ads and trackers and bluntly states that it is self-sufficient with no ad money.
With Osiris Armor, users can configure privacy settings and view the number of ads and scripts that have already been banned. Additionally, it offers a multi-wallet called Metawallet which integrates a wallet into the browser and supports multiple cryptocurrencies to enhance the Web3 experience for blockchain users.
The Future of Web3 Browsers
Web platforms have long been devoid of the ability to transfer money, leading to a deluge of internet advertisements and dishonest business practices. As the Semantic Web (Web3) promises to organize the world’s information in ways that Google’s search engine architecture cannot achieve, it provides web monetization opportunities for developers, gamers and content creators. . Web monetization provides an efficient, free, native, and automatic way to pay creators, fund essential web infrastructure, and support API calls.
Although Google Chrome is the most widely used web2 browser and DApps can be accessed through web3 wallets, blockchain-enabled web browsers allow users to control their data, funds and assets without intermediaries. Therefore, the transition to a decentralized web requires new and innovative solutions to improve user experience, and Web3 browsers acting as a gateway to DApps are essential to access the digital economy.
Despite the fact that there are still many unexplored areas of the Semantic Web and much research to be done, it is evident that Web3 technologies are becoming a significant force in today’s web landscape. And it is expected that Web3 browsers (existing and future) will continue to offer separate services to meet the needs of blockchain users.
