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How Web3 is turbocharging the search engine

OKX Learn
OKX Learn
Published on May 05, 2023
Updated on Apr 25, 2024
6 min read

Search engines have come a long way since the early days of the Internet. In the Web1 era, search engines were primary and relied on simple algorithms to index and retrieve web pages.

As the Internet grew in size and complexity, search engines evolved to keep pace with changing user needs and behavior. With the rise of Web2 and the advent of social media, search engines became more personalized and began incorporating social signals into their algorithms.

Today, as we enter the era of Web3 and the decentralized web, search engines are again transforming, leveraging blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to deliver more accurate and trustworthy search results. In this article, we'll look at the evolution of search engines from Web1 to Web3.

How Web3 rewrites search engines

Web1 origins: Limited indexing

Web1 was a time of rapid innovation and experimentation. The first search engines were developed as primary tools to help users navigate the growing web during this period. These early search engines relied on simple text-based input and had limited indexing capabilities, making it difficult to find relevant information amidst the vast sea of content online. Despite their limitations, these early search engines were critical in shaping how we use and interact with the Internet today.

  • Yahoo: Launched in 1994, Yahoo quickly became one of the most popular search engines during the early days of Web1. It was well known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive search results.

  • Ask Jeeves: Launched in 1997, Ask Jeeves was unique in allowing users to search for information using natural language queries. It featured a cartoon butler named Jeeves, who would provide search results based on the user's query.

  • Lycos: Arriving in 1994, Lycos was one of the first search engines to index the entire web. It quickly gained popularity and was known for its easy-to-use interface.

  • Excite: Excite arrived in 1995 and was known for its customizable homepage and personalized search results. Due to Excite's customization, it became a popular choice among early Web1 users.

The Web2 transition: Authority ranking emerges

The emergence of Web2 brought about a new era of search engines, with Google at the forefront of innovation. Google's PageRank algorithm revolutionized search by ranking pages based on relevance and authority, making it easier for users to find high-quality information online. But Google's impact on search went beyond just its algorithm and indexing. The company's relentless focus on user experience led to the development of features like autocomplete and instant search, which helped to further improve the search experience for millions of users worldwide.

  • Google: Launched in 1998, Google quickly became one of the most popular search engines in the world. It was known for its simple interface, lightning-fast search results, and accurate algorithms that ranked search results based on relevance.

  • DuckDuckGo: From its launch in 2008, DuckDuckGo became known for its privacy-focused search engine that didn't track users or store their search history. It quickly gained a following among privacy-conscious users.

  • Bing: Launched in 2009 by Microsoft, Bing quickly gained popularity as an alternative to Google. It was known for its image and video search capabilities and its integration with other Microsoft products like Windows and Office. Yahoo partnered with Microsoft in 2009 and used Bing to power up their search results.

Web3's future: Private, decentralized search technology

Web3 search engines are still evolving but primarily focus on decentralization, privacy, and user control. They're guided by a vision of a more open and equitable Internet, where users have greater control over their data and digital identities. Search engines will likely become more decentralized and personalized in this new paradigm. Decentralized search engines, such as Presearch, use blockchain technology to protect user privacy and reward users for contributing to the network.

  • YaCy: YaCy is an open-source, peer-to-peer search engine that allows users to search the web without relying on a central server. Instead, it uses a distributed network of nodes to index and search content, ensuring privacy and security.

  • Presearch: Presearch is a decentralized search engine that uses blockchain technology to give users more control over their search results. It rewards users with cryptocurrency tokens for using the platform and contributing to the community.

  • Xayn: Xayn is an AI-powered search engine that uses a decentralized network to provide users with more personalized search results. It uses machine learning algorithms to understand user preferences and tailor search results accordingly, while still protecting user privacy.

  • Brave: Brave is a free and open-source web browser built on the Chromium web browser engine, created with the user's privacy in mind. Brave blocks all third-party ads by default and replaces them with its own privacy-respecting ads served from its own ad network. Users can choose to opt out of these ads if they prefer. In addition to its privacy and security features, Brave offers a built-in cryptocurrency wallet and the ability to earn cryptocurrency rewards by viewing privacy-respecting ads.

Can any new-era Internet thrive without a search function that's evolved to keep up? Probably not given how vital search is to navigating a web space that's growing increasingly more complex. Artificial Intelligence and blockchain technology have a key role to play in the Web3 search engine, while decentralization can prevent interference with search results and ease today's data privacy concerns.

Get into Web3 today

Feeling inspired? OKX is your portal into Web3. Jump in today.

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