by pests | 2025-07-07 04:33:51+00:00
To give you a real answer instead of just bashing crypto:

There is no real compute happening on the actual blockchain. The more instructions you have to execute, the higher the gas, the larger the fee the user will have to pay. The blockchain is used more as a database which the Web3 app can then query (for free) and use as a source of truth. It's not just currencies and microtransactions - game stats, property ownership, a users notes or todo list, anything you want. But you are definitely not doing any kind of major compute.

Web3 now refers to web apps that interact with a blockchain instead of a server API. They are mostly built with modern web technologies (React, Vue, etc.) Many are opensource and lots of communities participate in developing standards and in participating bodies. Uniswap, for example, is a website and underlying protocol for changing one coin into another, is now on v3 (UniswapV3) and many other projects and companies (SushiSwap, PancakeSwap, etc) take this frontend and the blockchain contracts to implement their own compatible offerings.

These API call's go through your wallet (usually a browser extension or app) which injects the JS needed into the website or handles it itself. The wallet will usually perform an RPC to a remote server to perform the actual blockchain communication. Most chains have default free RPC servers but you can also pay for a more premium/less latency/higher uptime RPC services. You can also run your own RPC infrastructure and handle that yourself.

User identities are tied to wallets. You do not have to sign up or join any Web3 app, you just "Connect" your wallet which is a free action which basically consists of signing a pre-generated message vouching you are joining which the Web3 app can verify.

Many standards have developed like Uniswap mentioned earlier. Interfaces for NFT's, delegated spending (to condense transactions and save gas fees), notifications, chat. Because all contracts are on a chain and every frontend is just a webapp, and many services ensure transparency by posting the source code for their contracts, it enables seamless integration of other APIs.

For example, another layer has been abstracted on top of UniswapV3. Since there is hundreds of swaps all supporting UniswapV3, you then had the development of apps called "routers" which would check all the swap sites and find you the cheapest rate. These routers can even swap between multiple token chains and assets to arrive at your end coins.

One more way this is more decentralized. If any of these web frontend's were to go away, the contract still exists and you can manually call it's functions to achieve your goal like withdrawing money, reassigning an NFT, or evolving your pet.

Furthermore, since all Web3 apps are just really calling contract's behind the scenes, it's easy to just send these actions yourself in a program. You can turn 20 clicks in some UI into a script that does the same interfacing with the blockchain directly.

One last point, but all this data is being stored on chain and is exportable and backed up forever by millions. I have personally had trouble with losing devices and having poor backup discipline. So, I have stored my personal notes and todo list in a custom (encrypted) contract I wrote a few years ago. I can lose access to every device or password I know and can still access it anywhere in the world because I have memorized my 12 word wallet mnemonic and every node has a copy.