DApps and web3 apps are built using smart contracts. You can connect to dApps and web3 apps with a crypto wallet.

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Web3 is like the World Wide Web for blockchain technology. It's a decentralized internet where core parts of the apps run on blockchains instead of company servers. You can connect to a web3 app with a crypto wallet. There are many different kinds of web3 apps, from games to DeFi to NFT platforms.

A dApp, short for decentralized application, is a type of web3 app that runs on a blockchain.

All dApps are web3 apps, but not all web3 apps are fully decentralized. For a web3 app to be considered a true dApp, the power to make changes to the application must be distributed among several parties, often through a DAOs.

You can connect to both dApps and web3 apps using your crypto wallet.

You can find information on web3 apps on specific networks here:

Web3 apps have a number of benefits over traditional apps.

Many traditional apps collect, use, and monetize your data, often for targeted advertising or third-party research.

Because web3 apps connect directly with your crypto wallet through the blockchain, they don’t have access to your personal information. They can only access the info that's already on the blockchain. However, the websites hosting the apps may still collect limited information, like cookies or usage data.

With web3, your transactions are linked to your crypto address, not your personal information. This means your on-chain activity is visible, but it isn’t directly tied to your real-world identity.

Traditional apps rely on centralized servers. If those servers go down, the app becomes unavailable, which impacts both users and businesses.

Web3 operates on decentralized blockchains supported by many nodes. If one node goes offline, others keep the app running on the blockchain. This makes web3 apps more resilient to outages and attacks.

Web3 apps are designed to be more resistant to censorship than traditional platforms. Because information is stored on a decentralized blockchain that is public, pseudonymous, and difficult to change, users can publish and interact freely without relying on a central authority to approve or remove content.

This gives creators and communities greater control over what they share and how it’s accessed, promoting open participation and transparency across decentralized networks.

In traditional apps, most of the value created goes to the company or its investors, even though users generate the activity and content that make the platform valuable.

Web3 apps can distribute value more fairly among participants. Many reward users directly for contributing, curating, or engaging with content. For example, users might earn tokens for posting, voting, or interacting within a decentralized community.

This model empowers both creators and users, allowing them to share in the value they help create.