What Is Web2? Understanding Web2, Web2.5, and Web3

The internet did not jump directly from static websites to blockchain-based platforms. It evolved in stages. To understand where Web3 domains fit today, it helps to clearly understand Web2, the transition phase often called Web2.5, and how Web3 differs in architecture, ownership, and control.

Let's look at how Web2 and Web3 now coexist!

What Is Web2?

Before Web2, the era of the internet is now called Web1. A mostly static, read-only web where users consumed information from websites but rarely interacted with them. Pages were informational, updates were manual, and participation was limited to site owners.

Then came Web2, the second major phase of the internet, starting in the early 2000s and still dominant today.

Web2 is defined by interactive websites, user-generated content, and centralised platforms like Meta.

Core characteristics of Web2

• Read and write internet: Users create and consume content. Blogs, comments, videos, and social media posts are all Web2 features.
• Centralised infrastructure: Platforms such as Google, Meta, Amazon, and YouTube own the servers, databases, and applications. Users access services through accounts controlled by these companies.
• Platform-owned data: Users generate the content, platforms control storage, distribution, monetisation, and moderation.
• DNS-based identity: Websites rely on ICANN-managed domains and the Domain Name System (DNS) to resolve human-readable names to IP addresses.

Web2 works extremely well for scale, usability, and reliability. Its limitations are mostly structural rather than functional.

What Web2 Lacks

Web2’s limitations are about ownership and control.

• Users do not fully own their digital identities.
• Platforms can restrict access, visibility, or monetisation.
• Value flows through intermediaries.
• Digital assets are usually permission-based, not natively owned.

These gaps led to experimentation with decentralised systems, which eventually formed what we now call Web3.

Web2.5: The Transitional Internet

Web2.5 is a widely used, but informal term to describe the hybrid phase we are currently in.

Web2.5 combines the Web2 user experience and infrastructure and Web3 ownership, tokens, or blockchain-based assets. It is defined by:

• Centralised platforms integrating blockchain features
• Custodial wallets for easier onboarding
• On-chain assets managed through familiar Web2 interfaces
• Partial decentralisation, not full self-sovereignty

Web2.5 exists because pure Web3 is still complex for mainstream users. Wallet management, private keys, and on-chain transactions require a learning curve that many users are not ready for.

Rather than replacing Web2 overnight, Web3 systems are being layered into existing workflows.

What Is Web3?

Web3 introduces a different model for ownership and coordination.

Instead of accounts and databases controlled by companies, Web3 uses blockchains to manage identity, assets, and value.

Core characteristics of Web3

• On-chain ownership: Assets exist as tokens or NFTs in user-controlled wallets.
• Decentralised resolution: Names, identities, and records can be resolved through smart contracts instead of only DNS.
• Native payments: Value transfer is built into the protocol layer.
• Composability: Applications can interact with shared on-chain data without permission.

Web3 domains

A Web3 domain is a domain name that exists as an on-chain asset rather than only as an entry in a registrar’s database. 

Unlike traditional Web2 domains, where ownership is mediated through registrars and renewal-based contracts, a Web3 domain is held in the user’s wallet and can be transferred peer-to-peer without intermediaries. The blockchain acts as the source of truth for ownership, making it publicly verifiable and resistant to unilateral changes by third parties.

Web3 domains are not designed to replace the existing web overnight; they often coexist with Web2 infrastructure. Many users continue to run standard websites while using Web3 domains for identity, payments, or on-chain verification. This makes Web3 domains less about abandoning DNS and more about adding a new ownership and resolution layer that operates alongside it.

As adoption grows, Web3 domains are increasingly positioned as long-term digital assets. Their value lies not only in naming but in the ability to function across platforms without being locked into a single provider. This flexibility is why Web3 domains are often integrated gradually, rather than used as a full replacement for traditional domains.

What Web3 Domains Can Do

Web3 domains extend beyond simple website resolution. They can act as a portable identity layer across applications, wallets, and decentralized services. A single Web3 domain can be associated with payment addresses, profile metadata, and content pointers, allowing it to serve as both an identifier and a routing mechanism in Web3-native environments.

Depending on the implementation, a Web3 domain can:

• Resolve to wallet addresses
• Point to decentralised content (IPFS, Arweave)
• Act as a portable identity across dApps
• Be transferred peer-to-peer without intermediaries

This is where Web3 domains differ structurally from Web2 domains, even if the user-facing experience can look similar.

Web2 vs Web2.5 vs Web3

Why Web2 and Web3 Now Coexist

Web3 and Web2 interoperate, instead of one of them replacing the other.

Web2 remains strong in:

• Browsers
• Search engines
• Enterprise tooling
• User onboarding

Web3 excels at:

• Empowering Digital ownership
• Verifiable control
• Cross-platform identity
• On-chain value transfer

For most businesses and users, the practical path forward is integration, not migration.

Mirroring a Web2 Domain On-Chain

One of the most common integration patterns today is mirroring a Web2 domain on-chain.

This does not replace DNS. It adds a blockchain layer that can prove ownership and enable Web3 functionality.

What “mirroring” means

You keep the ICANN domain (DNS) as-is, but also create an on-chain representation that can:

• Prove domain ownership
• Attach Web3 records (wallets, content hashes)
• Optionally link back to the same website experience

Mirroring a Web2 Domain

There are two common ways.

1) Tokenize the Domain (Proof of Ownership On-Chain)

1. Verify DNS control: You prove ownership by adding a verification record (usually a TXT record) through your registrar or DNS provider.
2. Publish verification data: The record contains a signature or token provided by the mirroring service.
3. Mint an on-chain token: Once verification succeeds, an NFT is minted that represents control of the domain then.
4. Optional sync rules: Some systems can revoke or update the on-chain token if DNS ownership changes.

Once done, you get:

• Public, on-chain proof of domain control
• A transferable or non-transferable token, depending on design
• A base layer for attaching Web3 records

Important: DNS itself remains off-chain. The blockchain asset is an assertion backed by DNS verification, not a replacement for DNS.

2) Attach Web3 Records While Keeping DNS Intact

The common options for this are:

• Wallet resolution: Link the domain to crypto addresses (ETH, USDC, etc.) for supported wallets and dApps.
• Decentralised content: Associate the domain with IPFS or Arweave content while DNS still points to a Web2 host.
• Bridged user experience: Route users differently based on context (standard browser vs wallet-enabled environment).

This approach allows gradual adoption without disrupting existing traffic.

Practical Checklist for Domain Mirroring

This applies to most stacks:

1. Choose the blockchain and standard. For example, EVM-based NFTs with domain records.
2. Prove DNS control: Add the required TXT record.
3. Mint or register the on-chain representation
4. Set Web3 records i.e., wallet addresses, content hashes, metadata.
5. Link Web2 and Web3 visibly (optional)
   • DNS TXT reference to the token
   • A /.well-known/ page stating on-chain identifiers
6. Define update rules
   • Who controls updates (wallet, multisig, custody)
   • What happens if the Web2 domain is transferred

Things to Avoid While Mirroring a Web2 Domain OnChain

• Assuming DNS is “on-chain”: It is not. DNS remains off-chain.
• Ownership mismatch: If the Web2 domain changes hands, the on-chain asset must also be transferred or invalidated.
• Expecting universal wallet support: Resolution depends on wallet and dApp integrations.

Supported Blockchains for Web3 Domains on Freename

Freename supports multi-chain minting and resolution for Web3 domains. This allows users to choose where their domain is minted and managed.

Freename is the platform with most supported chians. Currently supported chains include:

• Polygon: EVM Layer 2 with low fees and broad adoption
• Binance Smart Chain (BSC): EVM-compatible with a large ecosystem
• Aurora: EVM layer within the NEAR ecosystem
• Base: EVM chain connected to the Coinbase ecosystem
• Cronos: EVM chain developed by Crypto.com

This flexibility allows users to align their Web3 domain strategy with their preferred ecosystem while still interacting with Web2 infrastructure where needed.

Final Thoughts

Web2, Web2.5, and Web3 are not competing timelines. They are layers.

Web2 provides reach and usability.
Web3 introduces verifiable ownership and programmable identity.
Web2.5 bridges the two.

Web3 domains sit at the intersection of this transition, enabling on-chain identity without requiring users to abandon the existing internet.

As adoption continues, the most practical solutions will remain those that work with Web2, not against it.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between Web2 and Web3?

Web2 is based on centralised platforms where companies control data, accounts, and infrastructure. Web3 uses blockchain technology to give users direct ownership of digital assets, identities, and domains through wallets instead of platform accounts.

2. Is Web3 replacing Web2?

No. Web3 is not replacing Web2. Most real-world applications today use a hybrid model, where Web2 infrastructure handles usability and scale while Web3 handles ownership, identity, and value transfer.

3. What is Web2.5?

Web2.5 is an informal term used to describe platforms that combine Web2 user experience with Web3 technology. This know includes traditional applications that integrate blockchain features like tokens, NFTs, or Web3 domains while remaining partially centralized.

4. What is a Web3 domain?

A Web3 domain is a blockchain-based domain name, usually minted as an NFT, where ownership is tied to a wallet address. Web3 domains can resolve to wallet addresses, decentralised content, and identity records, and are controlled directly by the owner without registrar-level intervention.

5. Can a Web2 domain be used with Web3?

Yes. A Web2 domain can be mirrored on-chain by proving DNS ownership and creating a blockchain representation. This allows the domain to keep working normally on the web while also supporting Web3 features like wallet resolution and on-chain records.

6. How do you mint a Web3 domain?

To mint a Web3 domain, you typically choose a blockchain, register or mint the domain as an NFT, and store it in a wallet. After minting, you can set on-chain records such as payment addresses or content hashes, depending on the supported standards and chain.