If you don\u2019t want to be blindsided by the oncoming transformation, it\u2019s important to start considering how your processes will adapt to Web3 architecture. Specifically: how will Web3 observability differ from previous iterations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Web3 architecture? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Web3 is (not surprisingly) the third iteration of how internet applications are built and run. In short, this three-phase can be described as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Web 1.0 is the \u201cread-only Web,\u201d where developers could build webpages for people to visit and view, but there was no way for users to interact with them<\/li>
- Web 2.0 is the \u201csocial Web,\u201d where users can add and edit website content, enabling everything from social media to cloud applications.<\/li>
- Web 3.0 (or Web3) is the \u201cdistributed Web\u201d or the \u201csemantic Web,\u201d which includes both machine readability as well as the rise of blockchain-based application architecture.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
While there are many differences between Web 2.0 and Web3, perhaps the most important for observability<\/a> is that of distribution<\/strong>. With assets spread across the cloud and connected only through blockchain, it will require a complete transformation of how applications are built and monitored<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Web 2.0 vs. Web3 applications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At their core, Web 2.0 applications require three central components: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Data storage, which in turn requires a constantly updated database<\/li>
- Backend code (e.g. Java or Python) that defines the application\u2019s business logic<\/li>
- Frontend code (e.g. JavaScript, HTML, and CSS) that defines the application\u2019s UI logic<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"web2](\"https:\/\/middleware.io\/backend\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-780x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe primary difference between Web 2.0 architecture and Web3 architecture is that Web3 eliminates the middleman. There\u2019s no longer a need for a database to store information or a centralized server where the backend logic resides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, Web3 developers leverage blockchain to build apps on a decentralized state machine maintained by anonymous nodes on the internet. Blockchains are state machines that have an instantiated genesis state, and very strict rules define a state transition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of control, no single entity controls the decentralized state machine\u2014everyone on the network collectively maintains it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So instead of operating a backend server, Web3 developers write smart contracts<\/strong> that define the logic of applications, then deploy them onto the decentralized state machine. This allows any person who wants to build a blockchain application to deploy code on this shared state machine. The front end, generally speaking, remains the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"web2](\"https:\/\/middleware.io\/backend\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-772x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWeb3 application architecture components<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In the previous section, we described several components that go into Web3 application architecture. Now let\u2019s take a closer look at each of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blockchain<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
There are multiple types of blockchains, but each of them has fundamentally the same structure. Blockchains are globally accessible, deterministic state machines maintained by a peer-to-peer (P2P) network of nodes. State changes on the blockchain are governed by rules of consensus that peers in the network follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data written into the blockchain can only be written, not updated. This is because data is not maintained centrally but collectively by everyone in the network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smart contracts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Smart contracts define the logic of your applications and deploy them onto the decentralized state machine. In this paradigm, web servers and traditional databases are no longer needed since everything is done on or around the blockchain. Smart contracts are written in high-level languages, such as Solidity or Vyper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virtual machine<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The central component of Web3 architecture is the virtual machine<\/a>. This system executes the logic defined in smart contracts and processes the state changes that happen. For this work, developers must compile high-level languages into bytecode, which the virtual machine then executes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P2P database<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Because blockchain is slow and expensive, P2P databases form an essential component of the system. P2P databases enable developers to access data off-chain, which reduces access points and, by extension, costs. This architecture eliminates centralized database servers and local storage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authentication<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
One of the unique advantages of blockchain is that in order to access a smart contract, users must provide authentication at every step. This happens through private keys that are unique to each user. As such, the very structure of authentication and security changes when adopting a Web3 infrastructure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Web3, applications don\u2019t hold user data but wallets that leverage cryptographic signatures to prove ownership of specific blockchain addresses. If a user loses their private key to the wallet address, no one can recover it for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Front end<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Finally, there\u2019s the part of the application that the user will engage with themselves. Generally speaking, the front-end technologies for Web3 are the same as Web 2.0. The only difference is that developers need to reimagine the UX of the application to accommodate authentication and processing in the blockchain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Complications of Web3 applications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Although Web3 applications are filled with potential, they\u2019re still a new technology. As such, there are complications and drawbacks that developers need to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scalability<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Decentralized applications (or dapps) have difficulty scaling up because the cost of running them on a particular blockchain server increases with usage. Each transaction requires a fee (called \u201cgas\u201d), which is subject to extreme price volatility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To solve this problem, developers can adopt decentralized, off-chain storage solutions like Interplanetary File Systems (IPFS) or Swarm, which leverage P2P network architecture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
User experience<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Dapps generally have a poor user experience compared to traditional web applications. The primary reason: their complex architecture, technical limitations, and environmental impact make them slow, difficult to use, and not very reliable. This is one reason why there are no mainstream dapps to speak of, even in 2022. Most current dapps are related to money\u2014namely cryptocurrency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data collection & storage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The thing that sets software companies apart is not their features and functionality, UI\/UX, or business logic but the data they\u2019ve aggregated. Web3 disrupts this reality, making every application composable by sharing and consuming data between applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Observability<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
In Web 2.0, observability<\/a> has become a norm. In Web3, however, the transformation of systems architecture makes this observability much more complicated. While some centralized aspects of Web3 can rely on Web 2.0 observability tools and tactics, there are still significant blind spots that developers need to overcome if they\u2019re going to adopt a Web3 architecture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Web3 observability, and how does it work? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
No complex system is ever fully healthy. If this was true for Web 2.0, it\u2019s even more true for Web3. Highly decentralized systems are inherently unpredictable. Without observability, developers and engineers are stuck making assumptions about system behavior and basing their decisions on those assumptions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Web 2.0, observability depends on three fundamental components: logs, metrics, and traces. By processing these data into a usable format, observability platforms surface the most important insights, enabling developers and engineers to quickly address errors at the root cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how do developers maintain their current observability expectations in a distributed Web3 environment? Here\u2019s how those three observability components function differently in Web3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Web3 logs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A log<\/a> is an immutable, timestamp record of discrete events over time. Its primary function is to provide insights into application performance over time, particularly when evaluated within its proper context. By collecting logs<\/a>, engineers can catch issues in real-time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary difference between logging in to Web 2.0 and Web3 is the volume of logs. Every bit of data that a smart contract incurs will require more \u201cgas.\u201d Observability platforms<\/a> need to become smarter in sorting through the most relevant data, leaving out events that aren\u2019t critical for assessing system performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nGet real-time metrics, traces and logs in one place with Middleware observability platform.<\/h3>\n