Most people think Web3 is just about crypto coins and NFTs. But that’s like thinking the internet is just about websites. The real power of Web3 lies in its technology stack - the invisible infrastructure that lets you own your data, control your identity, and interact without middlemen. If you’ve ever used a dApp, traded tokens, or minted an NFT, you’ve already touched this stack. But do you know how it all fits together?
Layer 0: The Physical Foundation
Every Web3 app starts with hardware. This is Layer 0 - the physical computers, servers, and networks that keep the blockchain alive. Unlike traditional cloud services like AWS or Google Cloud, Web3 doesn’t rely on a single company’s data centers. Instead, thousands of volunteers run nodes - computers that store copies of the blockchain and validate transactions. These nodes are spread across homes, data centers, and even data centers in countries with cheap electricity. They’re incentivized with cryptocurrency rewards to stay online and honest.
This layer is why Web3 is so hard to shut down. If one node goes offline, the network keeps running. There’s no central server to hack or take down. This isn’t just a technical detail - it’s the reason governments can’t easily ban Bitcoin or Ethereum. The infrastructure lives everywhere, and nowhere at the same time.
Layer 1: The Core Blockchains
Layer 1 is where the rules of the game are written. These are the main blockchains that handle transactions and smart contracts directly on their own network. Ethereum is the most popular, but it’s not the only one. Others include Solana, Polygon, Avalanche, and Cosmos. Each has trade-offs.
Ethereum uses Proof of Stake (PoS) to validate transactions, which is far more energy-efficient than Bitcoin’s old Proof of Work. It also has the largest developer community and the most mature tools. Solana, on the other hand, can process over 65,000 transactions per second - much faster than Ethereum’s 15-30. But speed comes at a cost: Solana has had more network outages in the past year than Ethereum has had in five years.
Smart contracts run on these chains. They’re self-executing pieces of code that automatically trigger actions when conditions are met. Think of them like vending machines: you put in ETH, and out comes an NFT. No human needs to approve it. That’s the magic. These contracts are written in languages like Solidity (for Ethereum) or Rust (for Solana). They’re immutable - once deployed, they can’t be changed. That’s a feature, not a bug. It means no one can alter the rules after the fact.
Layer 2: Scaling the Network
Layer 1 blockchains are secure, but slow and expensive. That’s where Layer 2 comes in. These are side solutions built on top of Layer 1 to handle more transactions without overloading the main chain. Think of them as express lanes on a highway.
Optimistic Rollups and Zero-Knowledge Rollups (ZK-Rollups) are the two main types. They bundle hundreds of transactions into one single proof that gets submitted back to Ethereum. This cuts fees by 90% and speeds things up dramatically. Polygon zkEVM and Arbitrum are popular Layer 2 networks. Uniswap, the biggest decentralized exchange, runs on Arbitrum because it’s cheaper and faster than doing everything on Ethereum’s main chain.
Layer 2 isn’t optional anymore. If you’re building a dApp today, you’re almost certainly building on a Layer 2. No one wants to pay $50 to swap two tokens.
Layer 3: The Tools Developers Use
Building a Web3 app isn’t like building a website. You need special tools. This is Layer 3 - the developer toolkit. It includes:
- Development frameworks like Hardhat and Foundry - they let you write, test, and deploy smart contracts locally before going live.
- Testing environments that simulate the blockchain so you don’t waste real money during development.
- API providers like QuickNode and Infura - they give your app a direct line to the blockchain without needing to run your own node.
- Wallet integrations like WalletConnect and MetaMask SDK - they let users log in with their crypto wallets instead of emails and passwords.
These tools are what make Web3 development possible. Without them, you’d need to be a blockchain expert just to build a simple app. Now, a developer with React and Node.js experience can get started in days.
Layer 4: The Apps You Actually Use
This is the part most people see - the front-end apps. These are the dApps: Uniswap for trading, OpenSea for NFTs, Aave for lending, and Lens Protocol for social media. They look like normal websites, but they’re built differently.
Instead of storing your data on a company’s server, your profile, transaction history, and digital assets live on the blockchain. Your wallet is your login. Your identity is tied to your wallet address, not your email. That means you can take your NFTs from one app to another. No platform can lock you in.
Frontends are often hosted on decentralized storage like IPFS or Arweave. This means no single company controls the app. Even if OpenSea shuts down, your NFTs are still safe - because they’re on the blockchain. The website might disappear, but your ownership doesn’t.
Storage & Identity: The Hidden Pillars
Two critical pieces often get overlooked: storage and identity.
Traditional apps store your photos, messages, and files on servers owned by Google, Apple, or Meta. Web3 apps use decentralized storage like IPFS (InterPlanetary File System). Files are broken into chunks, hashed, and distributed across thousands of nodes. You don’t need to trust one company - you trust the math. If one node goes down, the file still exists elsewhere.
Identity is even bigger. In Web2, you’re logged in with Google or Facebook. In Web3, you use decentralized identifiers (DIDs) like ENS (Ethereum Name Service) or Polygon ID. ENS lets you send ETH to yourname.eth instead of a 42-character wallet address. It’s like having a username for your crypto wallet. And you own it - no one can take it away.
Projects like Civic and Polygon ID let you prove you’re over 18, or that you’re a real person, without revealing your name or ID number. This is privacy by design.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Web3 isn’t just about replacing banks or selling JPEGs. It’s about rebuilding the internet from the ground up. Right now, the biggest companies control your data, your attention, and your money. Web3 flips that. You’re not a product - you’re the owner.
Imagine a social network where you own your posts, get paid when they go viral, and can move your followers to another platform without losing everything. That’s possible today. You just need the right tools.
Or think about loans. In traditional finance, you need a credit score, bank approval, and paperwork. In DeFi, you can get a loan by locking up your ETH as collateral - no bank, no forms, no waiting. It’s automated, global, and open to anyone with a wallet.
These aren’t future ideas. They’re live right now. Millions of people use them daily. The technology stack is proven. The question isn’t whether Web3 will grow - it’s whether you’ll be building on it, or just watching.
Is Web3 just blockchain?
No. Blockchain is just one layer - the foundation. Web3 includes everything built on top: smart contracts, decentralized storage, wallets, identity systems, and apps. Think of blockchain as the engine, and Web3 as the whole car - with wheels, steering, and lights.
Do I need to know how to code to use Web3?
No. You don’t need to write code to use apps like Uniswap or OpenSea. But if you want to build your own dApp or customize how you interact with Web3, then yes - learning Solidity or JavaScript for Web3 is necessary. Most users just install a wallet and click buttons.
What’s the difference between Web2 and Web3 apps?
Web2 apps store your data on company servers. You don’t own it - they do. Web3 apps store your data on the blockchain or decentralized storage. You control it with your wallet. Web2 apps can delete your account. Web3 apps can’t - because your identity and assets are yours, not theirs.
Can Web3 apps be hacked?
The blockchain itself is extremely hard to hack - Ethereum hasn’t been compromised since 2015. But the apps built on top? Yes. Smart contracts can have bugs. Wallets can be phished. Exchanges can get hacked. Web3 shifts the risk from centralized companies to individual users. That means you need to be careful - use hardware wallets, double-check contract addresses, and never share your private key.
Is Ethereum the only blockchain for Web3?
No. Ethereum is the most popular, especially for DeFi and NFTs. But Solana is faster and cheaper for gaming and social apps. Polygon is used by big brands like Starbucks and Nike for their Web3 projects. Cosmos and Avalanche are strong for cross-chain apps. The best choice depends on what you’re building - speed, cost, or ecosystem size.
What’s the biggest barrier to using Web3 today?
User experience. Wallets, gas fees, seed phrases, and transaction confirmations are still confusing for non-technical people. But that’s changing fast. New wallets like Phantom and Coinbase Wallet are making it simpler. Layer 2s are cutting fees to pennies. And more apps are hiding the blockchain complexity behind friendly interfaces. The tech is ready - the onboarding just needs to catch up.
10 Comments
Bruce Bynum
November 2, 2025 AT 01:49 AMWeb3 isn't magic. It's just code running on computers nobody owns. That's the whole point. You don't need to understand the stack to use it, but knowing it helps you stop being scared of it.
Mehak Sharma
November 4, 2025 AT 00:12 AMLet me tell you something - Layer 1 isn't the star, it's the stage. The real show is happening in Layer 3 and Layer 4 where developers turn blockchain into something humans actually want to use. I've seen people build entire social platforms on Arbitrum with nothing but React and a wallet connector. No servers. No middlemen. Just code and consent. That's not innovation. That's liberation.
And storage? IPFS isn't just a backup system. It's a cultural shift. Your photo isn't owned by Meta anymore. It's pinned by strangers across the globe who believe in your right to exist online without permission. That's poetry written in SHA-256.
ENS names? That's your digital soul address. Not your email. Not your phone number. Not your username. Your name.eth. Own it. Protect it. Use it. No one can take it from you unless you give it away. That's power.
People say Web3 is too complex. Maybe. But so was the internet in 1995. You didn't need to know TCP/IP to send an email. You just clicked send. Today's wallets are becoming that simple. The tech is ready. The fear isn't. We just need to stop talking about gas fees and start showing people what's possible.
And don't get me started on DeFi loans. Lock ETH. Get cash. No credit check. No interview. No paperwork. Just math. That's not finance. That's justice.
Web3 doesn't replace banks. It makes them irrelevant. And that's beautiful.
ISAH Isah
November 4, 2025 AT 08:55 AMWeb3 is a Western fantasy built on stolen energy and colonial infrastructure. You think nodes are decentralized but most are hosted in China and Kazakhstan where electricity is cheap and oversight nonexistent. The blockchain is not free. Someone pays for it. Always. And that someone is not you.
You speak of ownership but your NFTs are stored on centralized servers with HTTP links. Your so called decentralized storage is just another cloud with a fancy name. You are not the owner. You are the illusion.
And ENS? A vanity domain for rich Americans who can afford $50 in gas to change their username. Meanwhile in Nigeria we pay $3 just to send $10. Who is Web3 for again?
The entire stack is a Ponzi dressed in open source. The only thing decentralized is the suffering.
Wesley Grimm
November 5, 2025 AT 12:15 PMLayer 2s are just a bandaid. Ethereum's fee structure is broken. The entire model relies on speculative tokenomics to incentivize node operators. When the bubble pops, the nodes go dark. The math doesn't lie. This isn't infrastructure. It's a temporary consensus illusion held together by hype and venture capital.
And don't get me started on smart contracts. Immutable? Sure. But when the bug is in the code and the devs are gone, who fixes it? No one. That's not innovation. That's negligence wrapped in ideology.
You think your NFT is safe? It's a JPEG hosted on AWS. You're just deluding yourself.
bob marley
November 6, 2025 AT 07:12 AMOh wow. Another 3000 word essay on how Web3 is the future. Congrats. You just wrote a thesis on why your wallet is still empty. The real layer 0 is your bank account. And it's still zero. Keep dreaming.
Sammy Krigs
November 6, 2025 AT 14:41 PMlayer 1 is fine but layer 2 is where the real magic happens i mean like who even uses ethereum mainnet anymore its like using dial up in 2024
also i think ipfs is kinda slow sometimes like when i try to load my nft its like loading a pic from 2007
and why do wallets have to be so confusing i just want to buy a cat pic
naveen kumar
November 6, 2025 AT 18:01 PMThey told us the internet would be free. Then came Google. Then came Facebook. Now they tell us Web3 is different. But who controls the node operators? Who funds the dev teams? Who owns the majority of the ETH? The same billionaires. The same VC firms. The same power structures. This isn't decentralization. It's rebranding.
ENS? That's just a domain registrar with crypto branding. IPFS? Still reliant on centralized gateways. Smart contracts? Audited by the same firms that audited the DAO. You're not building a new system. You're just putting a blockchain sticker on the old one.
And the worst part? You're all proud of it. You think you're rebels. But you're just the new consumers of a more expensive illusion.
Jeremy Jaramillo
November 8, 2025 AT 15:09 PMI've been building dApps for five years. I've seen people cry because they lost their seed phrase. I've seen artists make their first real money from NFTs. I've watched grandparents use MetaMask to send crypto to their grandkids overseas. This isn't about tech. It's about people.
Yes, the UX is rough. Yes, the fees are high. Yes, there are scams. But so was the early web. So was email. So was the smartphone.
Web3 gives power back to the individual. Not because it's perfect. But because it's possible. You don't need to understand Layer 0 to feel the difference when you own your digital life. That's what matters.
If you're building tools to make it easier - great. If you're mocking it - you're part of the problem.
The future isn't waiting for permission. It's being coded right now. By people who don't care if you get it.
Kymberley Sant
November 9, 2025 AT 21:49 PMok but like whats the point of all this if i still need to remember 12 words and if i lose them i lose everything like why is this better than just using apple id
also why do all the websites look like they were made in 2012
Chris Strife
November 11, 2025 AT 04:14 AMWeb3 is a distraction from real problems. While you're trading NFTs, the U.S. military is still using Windows 7. While you're debating Layer 2s, millions can't afford insulin. This isn't progress. It's a luxury game for the privileged. The blockchain won't fix healthcare. It won't feed the hungry. It won't stop climate change. Stop pretending it will.
You think decentralization matters? Fix the grid first. Then come talk to me about nodes.