Understanding the Future of Decentralized Web
Ahmed Jawed
VP of Engineering at Alethea AI | Innovating with AI, Blockchain & Web3 | Architect of Multimodal AI, Generative Models, & LLMs | Innovating Tech for Tomorrow’s World
The internet has been a vital tool for keeping us connected and informed for several decades now. However, this technology isn't perfect. The centralised structure of the internet has resulted in several critical problems, such as data breaches, censorship, and loss of privacy. In recent years, the idea of a decentralised web has been gaining more attention as a solution to these problems.
What is Decentralised Web?
A decentralised web refers to a system of internet technologies that operate on a P2P (peer-to-peer) network. Unlike the current web, which relies on centralised servers run by companies such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook, a decentralised web has no centralised control. Instead, the network consists of many individual computers and servers that share the responsibilities of hosting and managing data.
The decentralisation of the web has a few advantages over centralised systems. Here are some of them:
Decentralised systems offer enhanced security since it is more difficult for attackers to compromise the entire network due to its distributed nature. For instance, blockchain technology, utilised in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, verifies and records all transactions across a distributed network, making it more secure and resistant to hacking compared to traditional centralised banking systems. Moreover, peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, such as BitTorrent, allow users to share files directly, eliminating the risks associated with centralised servers.
In centralised systems, data is often collected by companies to make targeted advertisements. Decentralised systems can prevent this by operating on a more individual basis, with control over data spread across many different individuals, making it very difficult for one entity to collect all the data.
A highly centralised web structure can be prone to censorship by governments or countries trying to control information. Decentralisation can help combat this issue, making it difficult to censor websites and online content.
Content ownership is a concern in centralised systems because large companies often have control over user data. In contrast, with decentralised systems, individuals typically own their data, providing greater control over what's shared and how it's used.
What does the future of Decentralised Web look like?
The future of a decentralised web is unpredictable, but it looks promising. If fully realised, it could significantly change the way we interact with the internet. Here are some of the developments we may see:
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Blockchain technology is often associated with cryptocurrencies, but it could also play a crucial role in the decentralisation of the web. Blockchain technology provides a highly secure and transparent platform for transactions, making it possible to build a decentralised web. Developers are already exploring ways of integrating blockchain into web infrastructure, which could make the decentralised web more secure and transparent.
Decentralised applications, or dApps for short, are special software applications that function on a decentralised network of computers. This means that they do not rely on a central authority or single point of control, making them highly resilient and difficult to take down, unlike traditional applications. Instead, dApps rely on a peer-to-peer network of nodes or computers, which work together to ensure the app runs smoothly.
One significant advantage of dApps is that they offer users greater privacy and security compared to traditional applications. This is because the data is distributed across multiple nodes rather than being held in a centralised database, making it harder for hackers to breach the system. As a result, users can use the application with confidence knowing that their information is secure.
Another significant advantage of dApps is that users have greater control over their data. For instance, in a social media dApp, users might be able to monetize their data instead of letting centralised entities such as Facebook or Instagram exploit it for their profits. This decentralised model enables users to have full ownership and control of their data, which is a significant shift from the traditional model where centralised entities own and control user data.
In summary, dApps are decentralised applications that function on a decentralised network of computers, providing users with privacy, security, and greater control over their data. The decentralised model offers numerous benefits, making dApps an increasingly popular solution in today's digital world.
Decentralised web technologies can enable the creation of distributed cloud infrastructures. This would allow users to store data on a network of many individual computers and servers. As opposed to having everything stored in one centralised location, the data would be split up and dispersed across different computers on the network, providing greater security and reducing vulnerability to attacks.
Edge computing refers to a technological approach that is designed to improve the performance of computations by making them readily available where they are needed. Ordinarily, when computations are carried out, they are processed within centralized servers, which can result in time delays or latency. However, edge computing changes this by bringing computations closer to the source of the requests. This proximity makes it possible for computations to be carried out quickly and efficiently, which ultimately translates to a better overall user experience.
One area where edge computing has shown significant potential is in creating a decentralized web. This is because, with edge computing, computations can be done on distributed nodes or individual devices rather than on the central server. By leveraging this approach, it is possible to decentralize the web, which means that there is no single point of control or authority. This has several benefits, including improved security, reduced risk of data loss, faster load times, lower infrastructure costs, and enhanced scalability.
In summary, edge computing represents a powerful technology that can significantly improve the performance of computations by bringing them closer to the source of requests. The use of this technology in decentralizing the web has several benefits that include better security, faster load times, and lower infrastructure costs. With continuous advances in edge computing technologies, there is no doubt that we can expect to see more innovative use cases in the future.
Mesh networks are an alternative way of networking that connects devices directly to each other without having to rely on a centralised server. This can provide greater security and privacy, as it's much more difficult to intercept data on a mesh network.
Conclusion
The future of a decentralised web is promising. While it's still in its early stages, this technology could become a vital tool for creating a more secure, transparent, and democratic web. With the use of blockchain technology, dApps, distributed infrastructure, and mesh networks, we can build a more resilient and resistant internet that favours individuals over corporations. This future is certainly exciting, so we're excited to see how decentralised web technology develops in the coming years.