To help understand the different and related components of the Web3 landscape, Coinbase has put together a simple framework called the ‘Web3 Stack’. The framework is split into 4 different layers: Protocol, Infrastructure, Use Case, and Access.
As the space continues to mature the framework will continue to develop
The Protocol Layer is made up of underlying Blockchain architecture. This includes Layer 1 smart contract platforms like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche etc. These and many others serve as the foundation for many Web3 applications available today. Layer 1 protocols like Ethereum and Bitcoin have Layer 2 protocols like ‘Lightning Network’ (for fast cheap payments) and ‘Stacks’ (for smart contracts) built on top to alleviate issues like capacity limitations
The ‘Infrastructure Layer’ layer sits right on top of the Protocol Layer. It consists of interoperable components that carry out different tasks. These singular components, when combined can be used as infrastructure to build powerful Web3 applications. This layer includes a number of different projects including smart contract auditing software, data storage, communication protocols, data analytics platforms, DAO governance tooling, identity solutions, financial solutions, and many many more.
Below are a few examples of Infrastructure Layer projects: