• A new Ethereum standard, ERC-4804, has been rolled out that allows access to DApps and NFTs without the worry of centralized censorship.
• The new “Web3 URL to EVM Call Message Translation” standard enables internet users to directly query the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
• Web3 URLs are enabled with the launch of ERC-4804, allowing internet users to type in “web3://” (as opposed to “http://”) in their browsers for direct access to on-chain content.
How Centralized Censorship Impacts the Internet
The internet has been largely accessed by internet users via HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). When an internet user clicks a link or types in a website address, the computer uses HTTP to ask another computer to retrieve information such as a website or pictures. This makes it vulnerable to centralized censorship as DNS servers and web hosting services can block certain websites and content.
New Ethereum Standard Enables Web3 URLs
A newly rolled out Ethereum standard, titled “Web3 URL To EVM Call Message Translation,” or ERC-4804, aims to make accessing decentralized applications (DApps) front-ends and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) easier without worrying about centralized censorship. It was co-authored by ETHStorage founder Qi Zhou, Ethereum researcher Sam Wilson, and Chao Pi. The proposal was approved and finalized on March 1st 2023 on mainnet.
What Are Web3 URLs?
Web3 URLs allow internet users direct access on-chain Web 3 content using an “HTTP-style” URL system which queries directly into the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). As a result, instead of typing in “http://” into their browser bar they would type “web3://” for direct access towards DApps such as Uniswap or on-chain NFTs.
What Are The Benefits?
Using this new system could potentially solve issues with many so called ‘decentralized’ apps still relying on centralized web servers for access due DNS services such as GoDaddy being used which are vulnerable from centralised censorship . Allowing direct access through web 3 could be revolutionary for many projects that rely heavily upon decentralization for its true value proposition .
Conclusion
Overall ECR 4804 is an exciting development within the ethereum space , allowing easy accessability towards dapps & nfts without worrying about any interference from third party entities attempting censorship . This should pave way towards more innovation within DeFi & other sectors powered by ethereum’s blockchain technology .