🌐 Web3 Getting Started Guide

Web3 is the next stage of the internet, with core ideas: decentralization, on-chain data, and user ownership.

In short: Web1 is read-only, Web2 is read-write, Web3 is read-write-own.

You can log in to websites with a Web3 wallet, no email/password needed, using cryptographic proof of identity.

A wallet is your 'ID + bank card' in the Web3 world, used to manage assets, log in to DApps, and sign transactions.

Popular wallets include MetaMask (Ethereum), Phantom (Solana), available as browser extensions and mobile apps.

A blockchain is a distributed ledger: all data is public, transparent, and immutable. Smart contracts are on-chain programs.

Main public chains: Ethereum, Solana, Polygon. Sidechains/Layer2 are for scaling.

DID (Decentralized Identity) lets you prove 'you are you' with a private key, not a platform account.

Compared to traditional login, DID needs no phone/email, is more private, and gives users control.

Common Web3 apps include:

• DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
• NFT (Digital Collectibles)
• DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)
• GameFi (Blockchain Gaming)

Check out Ethers.js, wagmi, Thirdweb, etc. to quickly build Web3 DApps with JavaScript/TypeScript.

These tools have great docs and communities, perfect for Web2 devs.

• Always store your seed phrase/private key offline. Never screenshot or upload to the cloud.
• Beware of phishing sites and fake wallet plugins.
• Never grant wallet access to unknown DApps.