Recently I delved into the unknown and started reading and learning about Web3 and blockchain; this is the latest trend circling around Twitter so my interest was peaked 👀
Web3
But what on earth is Web3? and what is blockchain for that matter? Let's start with an easy one... what is Web3? Web3 is a collection of Javascript libraries that allows an application to interact with an Ethereum node remotely or locally or more simply put it allows an application to work with blockchain.
So far so good?
Blockchain
So we're all crystal clear on what Web3 is right? Now to tackle blockchain 😬 Basically, a blockchain is a special database that stores information in a way that makes it near impossible to hack or change. The information stored is essentially a digital ledger of transactions; each of these transactions is duplicated across all the nodes on the blockchain.
Okay, blockchain done ✅
What happens next?
So we know what Web3 is (roughly), we know what blockchain is (kinda)... how on earth do we use it?
So let's open VS Code and create a new project... just kidding! I'll cover all that in another post 😛
In all seriousness, how do we interact with the blockchain? We write something called smart contracts. I can already hear it... "what is a smart contract?" so let's find out
Smart Contracts
In simple terms, a smart contract is a program that is stored on a blockchain that runs when certain conditions are met. Smart contracts allow developers to manipulate the data stored in the blockchain.
We've covered what Web3, Blockchain and Smart Contracts are, now for the question you've all wanted to know the answer to and the entire reason you came in the first place... Is Web3 & blockchain the future of web development?
Is Web3 & Blockchain the future of Web Development?
One thing I can't stand when I read blog posts is when there is no clear opinion to answer the topic of the blog post. I could easily say that Web3 & Blockchain MIGHT be the future of web development but I'm not gonna. I want to give my honest opinion and if I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I'll move on with my life.
Drumroll Please
No. No, I don't think Web3 & Blockchain is the future of web development. It certainly has it's place on the web and it will be perfect for certain companies but I don't see the industry moving into Web3 & Blockchain. There doesn't seem to be a need for it from a freelance/agency point of view. A traditional database, back end and front end site will get the job done. Considering crypto payments need to be made whenever a new smart contract is deployed to blockchain will deter many developers. Buying and investing in cryptocurrency, like any investment, is a risk and I don't see an investment like that being the cornerstone of web development.
There, I said it!
Will that stop me from learning Web3 and Blockchain? Absolutely not, there definitely will be a market for it and I see it as being quite a niche market and one that companies will pay $$$ for