Blockchain Revolution: The Future of Web Apps
Today, hundreds of millions of people own bitcoin and other tokens hosted on blockchains worth trillions of dollars.
Increasingly, though, blockchains host far more than tokens. In fact, blockchains are our future tech stack, and they can host sophisticated Web apps too, which live fully-onchain, just like tokens. These apps are implemented entirely from network-resident code (i.e. smart contract software and its evolutions).
This has huge potential: by the end of 2025, more than 5 billion people will own internet-connected smartphones with Web browsers. So what might drive them to create and use fully-onchain web apps, which can sport seamless Web3 functionality?
A new blockchain revolution is imminent, thanks to advancing AI and “self-writing app” technology.
The Rise of Vibe Coding
This relates to an important emerging trend called “vibe coding.” Vibe coding involves software engineers using tools with integrated AI that can write and fix software code on their behalf, making them much more productive.
The self-writing apps paradigm takes this much further, by enabling non-technical users to create, own and update apps simply by instructing AI over chat. Blockchain is in a unique position to help bring this revolutionary functionality to the world.
The Power of Blockchain Technology
In the future, an individual will be able to create a personal branding website, or something like a custom wedding planning app for a family member getting married, just by talking to AI. An entrepreneur without technical staff or money will be able to create a new kind of e-commerce website, or build a sharing economy app with Web3 rails. And, an enterprise will be able to create sophisticated CRM functionality, for an infinitesimally small fraction of the investment in time and money that is currently required. All just by talking, without the need for software engineering or systems administration skills.
In this new development paradigm, everyday users will issue instructions to AI over chat, and simply refresh their web browser moments later to interact with their new or updated app.
Apps living on blockchains have a number of valuable features. They are sovereign and censorship-resistant, tamperproof, incredibly resilient, and can seamlessly integrate powerful web3 functionalities because they live on-chain.
The Future of Self-Writing Apps
At DFINITY, we are great believers in self-writing apps running on public blockchains, which we term the “self-writing internet,” and have been developing supporting technologies for some years.
DFINITY has been developing a programming language framework called Motoko for usage by AI, as well as humans. When a user updates an app by adding or changing functionality, the AI must also describe how to update the structure of data inside the app, so that none is lost.
We believe the self-writing internet will democratize and decentralize tech on blockchain, and are excited that a new platform called Caffeine.ai will soon be released. Just by interacting with Caffeine over chat, users will create, own and update sovereign apps on the Internet Computer, and the World Computer more broadly.
The Future of Blockchain
On blockchains, human imagination, rather than technical skills, will increasingly be the limit when creating web apps. The utility unlocked will drive massive adoption of blockchain – although, oftentimes, users may not be aware that blockchain lies behind their game-changing experiences.
A “blockchain singularity” is occurring where decentralized networks become a major new tech stack. The future is almost here.