Architecture Patterns and Challenges in Web3 Decentralized Applications: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Web3 has gained increasing attention in recent years as a paradigm that aims to establish a new phase of the Internet by enabling a decentralized web infrastructure without reliance on centralized authorities or intermediaries. A fundamental difference between Web3 decentralized applications (dApps) and traditional Web2 applications lies in their underlying architecture and trust model. Web3 dApps rely on blockchain networks and smart contracts to execute application logic and manage shared state. This paper presents a systematic literature review that examines the architectural components, architectural patterns, and development challenges of Web3 decentralized applications. A set of peer-reviewed research articles was analyzed to provide a structured overview of current research and practice. The results identify the core building blocks of Web3 dApps, as well as highlighting the most adopted architectural styles, with a particular emphasis on hybrid on-chain/off-chain and fully decentralized architectures. Furthermore, this study synthesizes the most frequently reported challenges in Web3 dApp development. By systematizing existing knowledge, this work contributes to a clearer understanding of Web3 dApp architectures and provides a foundation for future research and improved engineering practices in decentralized application development.