Web 2.0 - Transforming Web Design and Development

Web 2.0 is a term often used for the continuing transformation of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a computing platform which serves web applications to end users. The web 2.0 technologies such as AJAX, XML, Open Application Program Interfaces or APIs allow consumers and businesses to enhance and affix certain activities to a web site.
According to Tim O'Reilly, founder of O'Reilly Media and a supporter of the free software and open source movements, Web 2.0 can be defined as:

"Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform."
Web 2.0 technology contrasts sharply with the old ‘Web 1.0' in which the Web pages were static and hardly ever updated, and only the tech-savvy people could contribute to the development of the World Wide Web. Where Web 1.0 was all about read-only websites, client server application, HTML, wires, Netscape, web forms, home pages, portals, companies, hardware costs, dial up and owning, Web 2.0 is about writing, peer to peer, XML, wireless, Google, Web applications, blogs, RSS, communities, bandwidth costs, broadband and sharing.
Well, Web 2.0 is not a newer term for those web developers, designers and bloggers who are utilizing Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, tags, RSS, social bookmarking to make their websites more exciting to use. With the advent of Web 2.0, websites and e-commerce businesses have found new dimensions in the world of Internet. Websites are now full of dynamism and entertainment. End-users enjoy surfing into fast and real time websites. Ajax, XML and different developing styles have given a new and refreshing look to the websites.
The movement of Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has, no doubt combined the different segments of World Wide Web. Now websites are not merely designed for the purpose of promoting the product and services, they are designed and developed as an interactive medium of information exchange where visitors can maintain their own blogs and communities and share their opinions and information. It can be concluded that people across the world have come closer and communication has become more rapid with Web 2.0.