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Web3 Basics

No crypto experience needed. Everything from "what is a wallet" to understanding CIDs and IPFS pinning — the core building blocks behind any web3 site or app.

Part 1

What even is "Web3"?

Normal websites (Web2) store everything on one company's servers — if that company shuts down, your data and files disappear.

Web3 means files and payments live on open, shared networks that no single company controls. Two building blocks make this work:

That's really it. Everything below is just "how do I get one of these and use it."

Part 2

Getting a Wallet

A wallet is a free app that does two things:

  1. Proves who you are when you visit a site (instead of a username/password)
  2. Holds any crypto you use to pay for things (like tips or purchases)

Step-by-step: Installing MetaMask (the most common wallet)

  1. Go to metamask.io — only ever download from this exact site or your phone's official app store. Fake copies exist, so never Google "metamask download" and click an ad.
  2. Click Download and add it to your browser (Chrome, Brave, Firefox) as an extension, or install the mobile app.
  3. Click Create a new wallet.
  4. Set a password — this only unlocks the app on this device.
  5. You'll be shown a Secret Recovery Phrase — 12 random words like apple river tiger...
🔒 The one rule that matters

Write your 12-word phrase on paper. Never type it into a website, never screenshot it, never share it with anyone — including someone claiming to be "support."

Anyone with those 12 words has full access to everything you ever put in that wallet. No company (including MetaMask) will ever legitimately ask you for them. If someone asks, it's a scam — 100% of the time, no exceptions.

That phrase is also your backup — if you get a new phone, you type those same 12 words into a fresh MetaMask install and your wallet comes back exactly as it was.

On a phone instead of a computer?

Mobile browsers like Safari and Chrome can't run MetaMask as an extension. Instead, install the MetaMask app itself, then use the browser built into that app to visit web3audio sites — that's what lets "Connect Wallet" work on mobile. Opening the site in your phone's normal browser first won't have a wallet to connect to.

That's it — your wallet is ready

You don't need any money in it to browse, listen, or explore. You only need funds if you're tipping an artist or buying something.

Part 3

"Connecting" Your Wallet — What Actually Happens

When a site says "Connect Wallet," here's what happens:

  1. You click the button
  2. MetaMask pops up and asks "Allow this site to see your wallet address?"
  3. You click Connect
  4. Sometimes it asks you to sign a message — this proves it's really you. Signing a message never costs money and never moves funds. It's just a digital signature, like signing your name.

If a popup ever asks you to "sign a transaction" that mentions sending money or approving a token, read it carefully first — that's different from the free identity-check signature.

⛽ On web3audio specifically

Browsing, listening, liking, and following are all free — just signing, no cost. Buying a song or minting an NFT is a real transaction on Ethereum mainnet, not a test network, so it needs actual ETH in your wallet to cover the small network fee ("gas") plus whatever you're paying for. There's no "test money" here — it's the real thing, in small amounts.

Part 4

What's a CID?

CID = Content Identifier. It's a long code like:

bafybeigdyrzt5sfp7udm7hu76uh7y26nf3efuylqabf3oclgtqy55fbzdi

Instead of a file living at one specific web address, IPFS gives the file a fingerprint based on its content. That CID always points to that exact file, no matter which computer is storing it.

You'll notice every web3audio address ends in .eth.limo instead of just .eth. .eth is a real ENS name, but most browsers don't understand it natively yet — .limo is a free "gateway" that translates it into something any browser can open. Same site either way, just a different door in.

What is "pinning"?

Pinning just means telling a storage service, "keep a permanent copy of this file available." Services like Pinata do this — most offer a free tier, which is often all it takes to keep a track pinned and online reliably, even though it's technically stored across a decentralized network.

You as a listener never pay anything to pin — that's handled behind the scenes by whoever uploads the file. You just click play.

Part 5

Quick Glossary

Wallet
Your web3 login + payment app (e.g. MetaMask)
Seed phrase
The 12 words that ARE your wallet; never share it
Address
Your public "account number," safe to share (looks like 0x71C7...)
ENS name
A human-readable name for your address, like yourname.eth instead of a long 0x... string
IPFS
The storage network that holds files across many computers
CID
The fingerprint/address of a specific file on IPFS
Pinning
Making sure a copy of a file stays permanently available
Sign a message
Free proof-of-identity, no money moves
Transaction
An actual on-chain action that can move money and costs a small network fee ("gas")
Gas
The small fee paid to the network to process a transaction (not charged for browsing or signing messages)
Part 6

Safety Checklist Before You Start

Part 7

Where To Go Next

With a wallet ready, here's the rest of web3audio: