If you’ve ever been curious about Web3 but felt overwhelmed by the buzzwords, hype, or conflicting advice online, Meetup #52 was for you.
On January 20, our eSatya community came together online for an honest, experience-driven conversation on transitioning from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0. Whether you joined us live or missed the session, here’s a walkthrough of what went down.
This session wasn’t about hype or selling Web3 as a magic solution. It was a grounded, real conversation led by Lishu Maharjan, a software developer at Rumsan and a former eSatya Blockchain Fellowship participant, who walked us through her own transition: what helped, what didn’t, and what she wishes she knew earlier.
The Evolution, Not the Switch
Lishu didn’t start in Web3. Her journey began with a 9‑month fellowship focused on core programming skills, followed by hands-on Web2 development. Web3 came later, not as a sudden switch, but as a gradual pull driven by curiosity. Like many developers, she had been hearing about blockchain, crypto, DeFi, and NFTs. At first, it was just noise. Over time, it became a question.
- Why don’t users really own their data?
- Why does everything rely on centralized control?
- Why can platforms suspend accounts without explanation?
Web3 didn’t feel like a replacement for Web2; it felt like a continuation of the same journey, just with a different philosophy underneath.
You Aren’t Starting from Zero
One of the most reassuring moments of the session was when Lishu broke a common myth: “You don’t leave your Web2 skills behind when you move into Web3”. In fact, a lot of what you already know still matters.
Lishu broke down what translated smoothly:
- Programming fundamentals: logic, data structures, debugging, and problem‑solving remain universal.
- Frontend development: building clean, responsive UIs is just as important in dApps.
- APIs & integrations: REST APIs, authentication, and third‑party services still matter.
- Developer practices: Git, testing, CI/CD, and code reviews are non‑negotiable in both worlds.
That said, Web3 does come with its own learning curve. Lishu highlighted a few core areas every aspiring Web3 builder should focus on:
- Blockchain Fundamentals: Understanding wallets, transactions, tokens, and networks.
- Smart Contracts: Mastering on-chain logic and languages like Solidity.
- Web3 Tooling: Familiarizing yourself with Ethers.js, Web3.js, and MetaMask.
- Security & Cryptography: Learning about public/private keys and digital signatures.
No need to master everything at once, but knowing what exists helps you plan better.
A Phased Approach to Success
Lishu was also very open about the challenges. The learning curve can feel steep. Tooling isn’t always as polished as Web2 frameworks. And the ecosystem itself can be confusing, multiple chains, multiple standards, multiple ways of doing the same thing. Feeling overwhelmed, she emphasized, is normal. To combat the feeling of being overwhelmed, she recommended a structured, three-phase approach:
This phased approach made the transition manageable and sustainable. Hackathons, in particular, weren’t framed as competitions to win prizes, but as learning environments, places to build, break things, network, and understand how Web3 works in practice.
If you missed the meetup, don’t worry, this is an ongoing series meant to make emerging technology feel human and approachable. The message is simple: Don’t rush, don’t panic, and don’t start from zero. Build on what you know, stay curious, and take it step-by-step
Whether you are a student or a Web2 developer, we want to support your journey.
👉 Join us on Discord to connect with our experienced mentors and get the support you need. Dive into conversations, ask questions, and become part of our vibrant community!
