If you have been exposed to blockchain or crypto, then you've probably heard of Web3 being used repeatedly. It can be a confusing term and often overwhelming, but the opportunities this idea presents are boundless.

Especially with the recent rise of NFTs from art to games, there have been articles in various publications about the definition and basics of Web3. Moreso in this age where cryptocurrency has found its way to convenience due to current events that set the world moving. Technology, after all, continues to move forward, and we are at an age where data is valuable, and the internet is where most of the population resides.

The internet we know today is currently a stack of the public to private ownership. It's an assortment of information, entertainment, finance, and commerce. It's a pool of various entities that continues to expand. Web3 is essentially an expansion of an idea of what the internet is today.

Web3 is a concept or idea surrounding a decentralized space powered or influenced by the blockchain. Before we go any further in better understanding Web3, then it's important to first delve into the world of blockchain, where tech enthusiasts and investors develop day by day.

This article will give you ideas on where to find free resources and tutorials to begin your first Web3 project. But before that, you must also learn Web3 is, how it operates, and what form of technology can be considered Web3.

What is blockchain?

The core concept or the root of Web3 is the blockchain. More specifically, blockchains are decentralized. Decentralized means that it doesn't belong to a specific power of government. It's circulated by anonymous internet persons belonging to no particular state or nation.

The blockchain acts as a public shared ledger that records cryptocurrency transactions, whether it's bitcoin or Ethereum. Blockchains are powered by a series of computers at work 24/7 to ensure that every transaction is finalized and every purchase is deposited to a person's account.

Interestingly and almost ground-breaking across the interweb is that the blockchain doesn't belong to a specific person or organization. It isn't likened to a central bank or belongs to a form of government. This is what it means to be centralized, and this is what groups of people want to utilize.

There are, however, pros and cons to a decentralized system, and these are one of the things that are in constant debate amount enthusiasts. Though the blockchain was developed to make sure that everything is kept honest without possibility of hacking or cheating the system.

How blockchain and Web3 connect

To explain Web3 further, it is a concept or an idea that experts see as the future of the internet. It seeks a lot where everything is decentralized, including games, social networks, and e-commerce.

The premise of Web3 is that it stands to operate under the blockchain where its users use cryptocurrency as a standard transaction instead of the regularly used national currency. Cryptocurrency, unlike our standard currency, is the same around the world. It's inclusive with no national limitations and accessible to anyone with access to the internet and an e-wallet.

Web3 enthusiasts envision this world where Web3 can take over the internet. Where we belong in a decentralized online society that revolves the economy around cryptocurrency. It's an environment for crypto investors, for tech as a whole, as well as for developers.

Web3 is a concept where more NFT art can thrive, code is essential, and people can be free to create and collect. It's geared to be a paradise for crypto and the people that thrive in this digital currency.

Recently, with the gradual rise of NFTs, e-commerce websites, crypto collectibles games like Axie infinity and other emerging games, Web3 is now a constant topic among those who research the concept. It's an opportunity for jobs and companies to consider cryptocurrency and the importance of creating a development environment that belongs in the space of Web3.

Before Web3 and onwars to Web3

Web3 didn't come about all on its own. It had the foundations of Web1 and Web2, concepts that we have already been through and are currently experiencing.

Web1 was the beginning of the internet. The retro-age of the 90s when people discovered the digital age's social aspects. It inspired movies about chatrooms, blog sites where people would leave comments on profiles, and websites that play music upon entering. This was the age before memes, TikTok reels, and disinformation. It was the good-ol days as some have said that we fondly remember in nostalgia.

Web2 was the next step, where we find ourselves currently. The era of content creators, influencers, streamers, and YouTubers. It's the commercially-driven internet that tells us what to buy, where to buy, how to buy. We want to fit in, we want to be part of the crowd, and we love feeling like we can relate to the celebrities that post their daily necessities on social media.

This is also the time of memes, of 10s video reels that are funny and entertaining. We enjoy random content and enjoy the idea of scrolling for hours and hours until the day ends. Users are then under the mercy and influence of this content.

Web3 then is the development phase. It's where creators take matters into their own hands to advertise and market themselves without commercial influence. Artists, for, example, are given an entire space to sell their creations. They have a platform that can scale worldwide because of NFTs with the idea that no NFT art can be stolen, reposted, or rehashed for commercial entertainment.

Tech experts see the future of the web pages that we use today in their Web3 versions. Where we aren't at the hands of advertisers by handing out our data for free. Instead, advertisers pay us for the data we give them.

This is the utopia that people envision with Web3. A circulatory economy that gives control to the users rather than the big-time markets. How this will bode for companies and entrepreneurs will be the discussion in the future if Web3 develops into something that is finally tangible.

How you can be involved by learning Web3

For Web3 to see a good starting point, you'll need to learn Web3 basics. This means contributing to an app that can enable the concept of Web3.

Developers will have no problem in understanding the fundamentals of code and will have the necessary tools and skills to get started. However, if you're new to code, then you will need to go through the internet for more information or a simple python tutorial.

As with most things, the internet today will have free resources and tools for you to start building your first app that's acceptable within the concept of Web3 development. The following will be a list of free resources that you can check out to learn code or other tutorials for beginner developers.

To learn Web3 is to also learn about blockchain. For an app to be considered to be part of Web3 means that this app should transact using the blockchain development environment. You should also know about smart contracts or how to develop smart contracts. The most popular nowadays is the Ethereum blockchain that is currently being used in various web pages.

So before you start building your Web3 app, it will be best to first connect yourself to an e-wallet that uses cryptocurrency. You should also understand how to connect an app to such e-wallets. Don't worry as most of these pages will have a tutorial on this type of process and the kinds of coding you will need to focus on.

Overtime as you go through these resources and learn Web3 basics, you will soon find out more about upgradable smart contracts, starting your own blockchain, or building a web server.

1. Cloudflare

Cloudflare provides an open-source template for developers to begin Web3 apps. The open-source projects gives developers all the necessary resources they'll need to create their first NFT or non-fungible tokens projects.

The template will give beginners an understanding of coding and gain valuable skills along the way to be able to create more Web3 projects afterwards.

2. Crypto Zombies

This interactive school will give you lessons about the blockchain network and how to develop your own Web3 app. It's a fun, inclusive, and engaging way on the web to learn more about coding. This tutorial page gives you examples of other apps while providing you new skills to make your own crypto collectible game.

Those who are new to the idea of creating your own app will enjoy the course that Crypto Zombies may be able to provide while also giving you opportunities to build a community of others trying something new.

3. Dev.to

If you want to look into the advice of others, then Dev.to provide you a community to help you get started. Helpful individuals who want to see Web3 development further will provide posts on guides, tutorials, and videos to help beginners start. There are posts on creating full-stack blockchain development and a course on Ethereum development.

The developers that are helping the community provide a GitHub repository that is free to access for users while providing other valuable resources and links to further the knowledge.

Interested individuals will find a sense of belongingness in this community that only seeks to help others and get familiar with Web3 and the blockchain. After all, the more people that get interested in blockchain then, the more likelihood of a Web3 internet.

4. Whitepapers

Developers who want to pay it forward and give others a helping hand in their new projects will publish a series of whitepapers. These whitepapers can be open-sourced material or a series of codes that others may easily access.

It is frequently uploaded through GitHub or other similar drives that can hold this type of information. The whitepapers consist of detailed tutorials and explanations for a varying degrees of expertise when it comes to Web3 apps.

You can search through the web examples of whitepapers that may help you best in the type of project that you're considering achieving.

5. YouTube tutorials

The great thing about popular pages like YouTube is that a handful of individuals will always be willing to lend their knowledge on specific topics. These videos, whether on Web3 development, Ethereum development, or coding, can help others learn more about these ideas.

They are free resources and tutorials that anyone can pick up on at any time of the day. You can listen to the information during your free time. As learning a bit of code may also help you in advancing your career.

The critics of Web3

Of course, with those that advocate for its gradual emergence, Web3 isn't without its critics. Questions surround its viability. Will the internet slowly work its way towards a pay-to-play kind of service for those with access to blockchain? While the internet is dominantly free, what will be its feature with Web3? Is this an anti-capitalism trend, or will it be the opposite?

There are questions if there is a career to be found within a blockchain world and if will jobs go up or down. Critics, especially those who are hesitant with blockchains or cryptocurrency, will continue to arise. But critics are the reason that the network continues to develop and how technology enthusiasts can find better ways to improve upon this growing system.

There is still plenty to learn about Web3 and all its nuances. Only the future can tell what the fundamentals of the core concepts of this idea will be and how blockchain development will proceed.