From Ethernet to Ethereum: A Journey Through the Evolution of Internet Technology - part 1
Tags: web3, webdev, blockchain, beginners
Published: 2023-01-12 20:29:43



## Welcome to my article on the evolution of computer communications!

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This is the **first part** of a four-part series that will be released over the first half of 2023. In this first installment, I will provide an overview of the key technologies and protocols that have shaped the internet as we know it.

In the **second part** of the series, I will dive deeper into the development of secure communication protocols and their impact on online security and privacy.

In the **third part**, I will explore the rise of decentralized platforms and their potential to disrupt traditional centralized systems and create new decentralized systems with new business models.

In the **final part**, I will examine the future of computer communications and the technologies that are shaping the internet of the future.

So whether you're a tech enthusiast, a developer, or just curious about how the internet has evolved, join me as I explore the journey of constant innovation and improvement that has shaped the internet as we know it today.

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**The internet**
It has come a long way since its early days as a network of connected computers. 

Today, it is a vast network of interconnected technologies that enable communication, data transfer, storage, and the development of web applications, APIs, and decentralized systems.

I'll take you on a journey through the key technologies and protocols that have shaped the internet as we know it.

From the invention of _Ethernet_ in 1973, which enabled the connection of computers and other devices to form local area networks (LANs), to the rise of decentralized platforms like _Ethereum_ and _Bitcoin_, we'll explore the innovations that have transformed the way we connect, communicate, and share information.

You'll learn about the development of secure communication protocols like _HTTPS_ and _DNS over _HTTPS_, _DoH_, and _DoT_ and the **importance** of these for sensitive applications such as online banking, e-commerce, and personal information sharing.

We'll also take a look into the potential of **decentralized** platforms to disrupt traditional centralized systems and create new decentralized systems with new business models.

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**Overview of important technologies**

•	**Ethernet (1973):** A networking technology that connects computers and other devices to form a local area network (LAN).

•	**SMTP (1982):**The simple mail transfer protocol, which defines the format and rules for sending email over the internet.

•	**TCP/IP (1983):** A communication protocol that defines how data is transmitted over networks, including the internet.

•	**DNS (1983):** A system that translates domain names to IP addresses.

•	**FTP (1985):** The file transfer protocol, which allows for the transfer of files between computers over a network.

•	**HTTP (1991):** A protocol for transmitting data over the internet, used for accessing web pages and other resources.

•	**HTML (1991):** A markup language used for creating and formatting web content.

•	**URL (1994):** A uniform resource locator that specifies the location of a resource on the internet, such as a web page.

•	**HTTPS (1994):** A secure version of HTTP that uses SSL to encrypt data transmitted between a client and a server.

•	**JavaScript (1995):** A programming language used for creating interactive and dynamic web content. 

•	**SSL/TLS (1995):** A security protocol that encrypts data transmitted between a client and a server to protect against eavesdropping.

•	**SFTP (1997):** The secure file transfer protocol, which allows for the secure transfer of files over a network.

•	**CSS (1996):** A style sheet language used for specifying the look and layout of web content.

•	**IPv6 (1998):** An updated version of the internet protocol that expands the number of available IP addresses.

•	**REST (2000):** An architectural style for building web APIs that defines a set of constraints and guidelines for creating interoperable APIs.

•	**JSON (2001):** A data interchange format that represents data in a structured and human-readable way.

•	**Bitcoin (2008):**  A decentralized digital currency that enables peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a central authority.

•	**Node.js (2009):** A runtime environment for executing JavaScript on the server side.

•	**Websockets (2010):** A protocol that allows for full-duplex communication over a single TCP connection, allowing for real-time data transfer between a client and a server.

•	**WebRTC (2011):** A real-time communication technology that enables peer-to-peer audio, video, and data communication in web browsers and native applications.

•	**QUIC (2012):** A transport protocol designed to improve the performance and security of internet communication.

•	**Docker (2013):** A containerization platform that allows developers to package and deploy applications and their dependencies in a consistent and portable manner.

•	**Kubernetes (2014):** An open-source container orchestration platform that simplifies the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.

•	**Ethereum (2015):** A decentralized platform that enables the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps) using its cryptocurrency, Ether.

•	**GraphQL (2015):** A query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, and nothing more.

•	**HTTP/2 (2015):** A version of HTTP that provides enhancements such as multiplexing, header compression, and server push to improve the performance of web applications.

•	**HTTPS/2 (2015):** A secure version of HTTP/2 that uses SSL to encrypt data transmitted between a client and a server.

•	**WebAssembly (2017):** A binary instruction format for executing code on the web, designed to run alongside JavaScript to enable high-performance applications.

•	**Graph Neural Networks (2017):** A type of neural network that is specifically designed to process graph-structured data, such as social networks or molecular structures.

•	**DNS over HTTPS (2018):** A method for encrypting DNS queries and responses to improve privacy and security.

•	**DoH (2018):** A protocol that encrypts DNS lookups to improve user privacy and security

•	**DoT (2018):** A protocol that encrypts DNS traffic to improve privacy and security.

•	**AI for Data Analysis (2015-present):**🔥 Artificial intelligence technologies, such as machine learning and natural language processing, have become increasingly important for analyzing and extracting insights from large datasets.

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This was the end of part 1 of the series on the evolution of computer communications. Hope you enjoyed reading the first part.

**Stay tuned for part 2**, where we will dive deeper into the development of secure communication protocols and their impact on online security and privacy. We will be exploring the exciting world of encryption, and the innovations that keep your online data safe.

Don't miss out on the next part, make sure to follow so you don't miss any of the exciting content that is yet to come. Thanks for reading!