The Web3 ecosystem is still in its infancy, but it is clear that it will be a game changer. Decentralization is a revolutionary concept with the potential to create a fairer, more secure, and more equitable internet. But the problem is that many Web3 projects are still being built with Web2 technology and infrastructure, which goes against Web3's basic ideas.

Web2 is a business model

For more than two decades, Web2 has been the dominant force on the internet. It is a centralized, controlled, and monetized network dominated today by a select few tech companies. These corporations have complete control over your data, the flow of information, and the prices that you pay for access. This often results in the interests of users and developers being misaligned with those of big tech corporations. Additionally, we see exponential growth in data breaches, privacy violations, and malicious attacks. The result? A growing lack of faith in Web2 infrastructure. Web2 is nothing more than a business model for the large tech companies that keep us in a stranglehold. Pricing and availability of services are dictated by them, leaving developers at their mercy. And we're supposed to settle for high costs, limited access to resources, and decreased innovation.

One step at a time

We know achieving true decentralization is far easier said than done. It's not uncommon for developers, or people in general, to stick with what they know and are comfortable with. Web2 tooling has been around for a long time, and there is a wealth of resources and support available for it. Making the switch to Web3 can be daunting, and we feel many developers may still be unaware of the benefits. Furthermore, Web3 technology is still in its early stages, and many of the tools and solutions available are not as mature or user-friendly as their Web2 counterparts. Even for developers who understand the advantages of Web3, this can be a barrier to adoption.

Take Ethereum, for example. A popular platform for building decentralized applications (dApps), but most of its nodes and data storage are still hosted on traditional cloud computing architectures like Amazon's EC2 service. This means that all transactions occurring on Ethereum are still reliant on centralized infrastructure that can be potentially monitored by external actors, including cloud services for hosting their nodes and processing transactions. While this does make it easier for developers to get up and running quickly, it also reduces user privacy and puts them at risk of interference from external actors who may have access to the underlying infrastructure.

Shape the future with Nosana

Despite the challenges that lie ahead, the future of Web3 is dependent on developers starting to embrace Web3 tooling and solutions. By sticking with Web2, projects miss out on the opportunity to shape the future of Web3 and create a more equitable and secure internet. By embracing Web3 solutions, projects and developers can help drive the growth and development of these solutions and contribute to a better future for all. We believe we're building the ideal bridge for developers looking to transition from Web2 tooling to a trustless CI/CD solution for Web3, as our CI engine is fully integrated with GitHub and GitLab.

Nosana is here to help developers make this transition while also contributing to Web3's growth and development. So, say farewell to your Web2 tooling and hello to the future of Web3 development.

This article was initially posted on nosana.io/blog/smoke-testing on February 3, 2023