Definition of Web 2.0

Image via Wikipedia Why does Web 2.0 – a complex, subtle, yet practical topic – need so much definition? That question was addressed by social computing and Web 2.0 expert Dion Hinchcliffe in an end-of-year round up that he compiled all the way back in December 2005. To this day it makes a very handy starting-point for anyone seeking to get themselves up to speed.

Hinchcliffe's "Best (Or Most Interesting) Web 2.0 Definitions and Explanations" list was as follows. (Remember he was writing in December 2005, after what he called "the rough and tumble ride" that 'Web 2.0' as a term had in its first 12 months.)

O'Reilly's What Is Web 2.0 - The famous meme map alone is worth serious study and is the central work defining the interlocking elements of Web 2.0.  O'Reilly touches on Web 2.0 as having more of a "gravitational core" than being a concrete set of technologies.  He also introduces all the major planks of his vision of the next generation of the Web as a set of best practices from the first generation.  A terrific read worth every minute spent on it.  Finish this before starting the rest.

Wikipedia Definition for Web 2.0 - While this entry undergoes near constant revision, I recommend a visit to see what an amalgam of opinionated contributors brings to the table for Web 2.0 definition.  Devoid of hype or even many buzzwords, the entry has become somewhat disappointing but the key facts are present and is also notably lacking in major anti-hype.  In the end, a balanced if slightly boring view produced by a little wisdom of the crowds.

Richard MacManus Defines Web 2.0 in February, 2005 - It's amazing to see how far along things have come when you read the very interesting pieces hyperlinked within.  Richard does a bang-up job rolling up prevailing opinion at the time from around the Web.  He finally settles on Web as Platform for the time being, but of course, the concept would continue to grow.

The "Official" Web 2.0 Compact Definition - Tim O'Reilly realized his 5 page essay would not result in a pithy definition and so he obliged everyone in October with a more compact definition.  While quite the run-on sentence, the definition does capture the essence: "Web 2.0 is the network as platform, spanning all connected devices; Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually-updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an "architecture of participation," and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences."

A Cumulative Web 2.0 Definition:  Here is an interesting one, if more than a little obtuse.  Incredibly, this is what comes up first in Google when you search on "Web 2.0 definition", presumably because the word definition is in the title and a few people have linked to it.  While technically not inaccurate, it's not very complete either.  I can't help wondering if partial definitions like this are a big part of the problem people are having understanding the concepts.

Jeff Clavier Tries His Hand At Web 2.0 Definition - And does a credible job.  He puts openness of data and services as job #1, then rich application experences, and then low cost of delivery using lightweight programming models and techniques.  A bit of a light definition in my personal opinion but highly accessible.

Paul Graham Weighs In On Web 2.0 - Here is one of the most recent explanations and one of the clearest headed.  While I certainly don't agree with everything he says, it's an excellent antidote to some of the most extreme Web 2.0 hype, while not throwing out the baby with the bath water either.  A must read.