Introduction to Web3
A Beginner's Hands-On Workshop
Today's Agenda
What is Web3?
The evolution of the internet — from read-only to ownership
Wallets & Assets
Your keys, your crypto — understanding digital ownership
Hands-On: Your First Transaction
Open a wallet & send crypto on the Stellar testnet
What is DeFi? + Live DEX Demo
Decentralized finance in action on noether.exchange
What is Web3?
The evolution of the internet
The Evolution of the Web
Web1
Read
Static pages. You could only consume content. Like an online newspaper.
Web2
Read + Write
Social media, apps. You create content — but platforms own it.
Web3
Read + Write + Own
You control your data, money, and identity. No middlemen.
What is a Blockchain?
A shared notebook that:
- Everyone can read
- Nobody can erase
- No single person controls
Every page (block) is chained to the previous one. Changing one page would break the entire chain — that's what makes it tamper-proof.
Each block contains transactions and is cryptographically linked to the one before it.
Why Decentralization Matters
Traditional (Centralized)
One bank holds all records. If they go down, fail, or censor you — you lose access.
Blockchain (Decentralized)
Thousands of computers hold the same copy. No single point of failure. No one can censor you.
"You don't need permission from a bank to send money. You don't need to trust a company to hold your assets. You are the bank."
Wallets & Assets
Your keys, your crypto
What is a Crypto Wallet?
Not like a physical wallet. It doesn't "hold" money.
It holds your keys that prove you own assets on the blockchain.
Public Key
Your "email address" for crypto. Safe to share.
On Stellar, it starts with G...
Private Key
Your "password." NEVER share it. Whoever has it controls your money.
Recovery Phrase
24 words that regenerate all your keys. Your ultimate backup. Write it on paper, never digitally.
Assets & Trustlines
XLM is Stellar's native currency. Other tokens (like USDC) require a "trustline" — like adding a new currency to your account.
Think of It Like This
Public Key = Your Home Address
Anyone can send you mail (crypto). Safe to share.
Private Key = Your Front Door Key
Only you should have it. Never give it away.
Recovery Phrase = Master Blueprint
Can recreate your key if lost. Store it somewhere safe, offline.
Golden Rule: If someone asks for your private key or recovery phrase — it's a scam. Always. No exceptions.
Let's Open a Wallet
Everyone follow along — hands on keyboards
Step 1: Install Freighter Wallet
Freighter is the official wallet for the Stellar blockchain.
Open your browser
Chrome, Brave, or Edge recommended
Go to freighter.app
Or scan the QR code on screen
Click "Add to Chrome"
Confirm the permissions when prompted
Pin the extension
Click the puzzle icon in your toolbar → pin Freighter
Step 2: Create Your Wallet
Click the Freighter icon
Opens the wallet popup
Click "Create Wallet"
Choose a strong password and confirm
Save your 24-word recovery phrase
Write it on paper. Never save it digitally. This is your ultimate backup.
Confirm the phrase
Select the words in the correct order when asked
You now have a Stellar wallet. Your public key starts with G... — that's your address on the blockchain.
Step 3: Switch to Testnet & Get Funds
Switch to Testnet
In Freighter, click the network dropdown at the top → select "Testnet"
Fund with Friendbot
Click "Fund with Friendbot" — you'll receive 10,000 test XLM instantly
Verify your balance
You should see 10,000 XLM in your wallet. This is test money — no real value.
Friendbot not working? Copy your public key and visit:
friendbot.stellar.org?addr=YOUR_KEY
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Can't see Freighter icon | Click the puzzle/extensions icon in browser → pin Freighter |
| Friendbot not responding | Copy public key → open friendbot URL in new tab, or ask me to send you XLM |
| Extension won't install | Try a different browser — Chrome is most reliable |
| On phone only | Freighter extension is desktop-only. Pair with a neighbor who has a laptop. |
| Slow loading | Testnet can be slow — wait 10–15 seconds and refresh |
Your First Transaction
Send crypto on the blockchain
Pair Up & Share Your Address
Student A (Sender)
You will send 100 XLM
Student B (Receiver)
Copy your public key and share it
Join our Telegram group and paste your public key there. This way everyone can send XLM to each other!
Scan to Join
Workshop Telegram Group
Send XLM
Click "Send" in Freighter
Make sure you're on Testnet
Select XLM — enter 100
100 XLM as the amount to send
Paste your partner's public key
The G... address they shared with you
Confirm & Send
Review the details → click Send → wait ~5 seconds → done!
Verify on the Blockchain
Check your balance in Freighter — then let's see it on the explorer:
Open the Stellar Testnet Explorer
Go to testnet.steexp.com
Paste your public key
See your account, balance, and full transaction history
"You just sent money across the internet in 5 seconds, for a fee of 0.00001 XLM, with no bank, no approval, no business hours. That's Web3."
What is DeFi?
Finance without middlemen
Smart Contracts
Self-executing programs that live on the blockchain. They run automatically when conditions are met — no middleman needed.
Think: Vending Machine
You put money in → the machine checks if it's enough → delivers the product. No cashier, no trust needed. Smart contracts work the same way.
On Stellar: Soroban
Stellar's smart contract platform. Fast (5-second finality), low cost, built in Rust.
HOW IT WORKS
IF Alice sends 100 USDC
AND conditions are met
THEN release the item to Alice
ELSE refund Alice automatically
DEX — Decentralized Exchange
A marketplace to trade tokens, powered by smart contracts instead of a company.
CEX (Centralized)
Binance, Coinbase, etc.
Sign up with email & ID
Company holds your funds
Can freeze your account
DEX (Decentralized)
noether.exchange, Uniswap, etc.
Connect wallet — no sign-up
You hold your funds
No one can freeze your account
We'll use noether.exchange in our live demo — a DEX built on Stellar's testnet.
Liquidity
The fuel that makes a DEX work. Without it, there's no one to trade with.
Traditional Exchange
Matches buyers with sellers directly. If no seller exists, you can't buy.
Liquidity Pool (DEX)
You trade against a shared pool of tokens. Always available, always ready.
Think: Airport Currency Exchange
There's always money in the booth ready to swap. Users (liquidity providers) stock the booth and earn fees from every trade that happens.
Anyone can become a liquidity provider — deposit tokens into the pool and earn a share of trading fees.
Why DeFi Matters
- Open 24/7 — no business hours, no holidays
- Permissionless — anyone with internet can participate
- Transparent — all code and transactions are public
- Non-custodial — you keep control of your funds
people worldwide have no bank account. DeFi gives them access to financial services with just a phone and internet.
Live Demo: DEX Trading
noether.exchange — Perpetual DEX on Stellar Testnet
Step 1: Connect Your Wallet
Go to noether.exchange
Open it in the same browser where Freighter is installed
Click "Connect Wallet"
Freighter popup appears — approve the connection
No sign-up. No email. No password. Just your wallet.
This is what "permissionless" looks like.
Step 2: Get Test USDC
Enable USDC trustline
When prompted, approve the trustline in Freighter — this lets your wallet hold USDC
Use the faucet
Noether has a built-in faucet — claim free test USDC
Check your balance
You should see test USDC ready to trade
Remember trustlines? This is them in action — you're telling Stellar "I want to hold USDC in my wallet."
Step 3: Open a Trade
Select a trading pair
Choose BTC/USDC — the price tracks real markets, but we're using test money
Enter a small amount
Type in how much USDC you want to trade — start small
Submit & confirm in Freighter
Review the details → approve in your wallet → trade executes on-chain
See your open position
Your trade is now live — watch the price move in real time
Step 4: Manage & Close
Stop-Loss
Automatically closes your position if the price drops to limit losses
Take-Profit
Automatically closes your position when it hits your target profit
Close the position
Click close → confirm in Freighter → see your PnL (profit/loss)
Everything happened on-chain. Every trade is verifiable. No company holds your funds — your wallet does.
This is a testnet demo. Leveraged trading with real money is extremely risky. Never trade more than you can afford to lose.
What You Accomplished
Let's recap
Today's Recap
Learned Web3
The internet of ownership — read, write, own
Opened a Wallet
Freighter on Stellar — your keys, your crypto
Sent Crypto
Your first blockchain transaction — in 5 seconds
Explored DeFi
Traded on a real DEX — noether.exchange
Keep Exploring
Freighter Wallet
freighter.app
Noether Exchange
noether.exchange
Stellar
stellar.org
Telegram Group
Stay connected
Thank You
Keep building. Stay curious.