An proxy is also known as proxy server software that functions as an intermediary between client and server on the internet. Without the use of proxy servers, users would send a request to something directly through a server, and the server will deliver the resource directly to the client. While this is a simple method to grasp and implement, the addition of proxies could offer advantages in terms enhanced performance and privacy, security and much more. Apart from adding a layer of security they also serve as a security guardian of the internet, separating clients from servers.

The general consensus is that the server hardware along with installed proxy software are also called proxy servers. But, this article will concentrate on proxies typically classified as software and within the web server context. We will present a summary of the two primary types of proxies, which include a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own specific usage, which can be confusing due to the same name convention.

This article will give you an idea of the what proxies are and the subtypes of them, as well as how they work in the normal configurations. By reading in this post, you'll be able to identify the scenarios in which it is beneficial to utilize a proxy and choose the best option between forward and reverse proxy in any circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

In another way a forward proxy, also known as open proxy. In other words, an open proxy acts as a representative of a client who wants to forward a request via the internet to an source server. In this scenario every attempt to send requests from the client's side will be sent straight through the forward proxy. This forward proxy in the in the place of the customer, will look into the request. It will first decide if the client is authorized to accept requests from this specific forward proxy. Then, it decides if it wants to deny a request and send it back to the server that originally received it. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It only has access to what forward proxy allows its access.

The most common reason to use forward proxies is to gain greater privacy or security when surfing the internet. A forward proxy is able to access the internet in instead of a client and in this manner it can use a different IP address than the original IP address that the client uses.

Depending on how it's been previously configured forward proxy servers are able to provide a range of options and allow you to:

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  Avoid ad tracking.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You will be able to identify any limitations based on your geographical area.
  
  

Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that offer central security and authorization based access, for example, in a workplace. When all internet traffic passes through an open forward proxy layer administrators can limit access to specific clients on the internet and filter it through a standard firewall. Instead of having firewalls in place for the client layer which could comprise a variety of computers with different user and operating environments, the firewall could be put in the forward proxy layer.

Note that the forward proxy setting need to be manually set up in order to be used, while reverse proxy settings are ignored by clients. Based on whether the IP address of the client is sent to the origin server via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or not.

There are many alternatives to think about for forward proxies:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source webserver that includes forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another renowned open-source webserver with forward proxy features.
  
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide a complete internet server. Take a look at our step-bystep guide to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante forward proxy that runs the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP which makes it better suited to situations such as peer-to-topeer traffic. You can also examine the steps to install the Dante proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy acts as a representation of web servers that handle the incoming requests of clients. The web server could comprise one or more servers. Also, it could serve as an application server such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations, an application request comes from a user via the internet as a whole. In the majority of cases the request is directed directly to the server that hosts the data the user is asking for. A reverse proxy works as an intermediary, protecting Web server from any direct interaction with the internet's public.

From a consumer's point of view that is an individual's view, connecting using a reverse proxy is identical to using direct connections to an internet server. It's exactly the same however the client cannot be able to discern the difference. The client asks for the resource, and is then provided with it, without any additional configuration needed on the part of the client.

Reverse proxies can provide features such as:

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  Centrally secured for Web Server Layer.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic that is inbound, based on rules you can create.
  
  
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  The caching feature was added to the application.
  
  

While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxy providers offer this feature only to the server layer, and it is not available to the client layer. Instead of maintaining firewalls at servers on the internet, that could contain multiple servers and various configurations, the bulk of firewall security can be focused at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility to interact with firewalls as well as interacting with client requests outside of web servers allows them to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.

In the event that there's multiple servers hosted by a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy will also be responsible for directing what requests go to the server. There may be several web servers that provide similar content offering different kinds of content or a mix of both. These servers may be running the HTTP protocol exactly the same way as a traditional web server, but they can include other protocols for applications servers, such as FastCGI. You can also configure a reverse proxy to redirect clients to specific servers based upon the requested resource or to adhere to specific rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies also can make use of their location ahead of web servers, by providing the ability to cache. Large static assets can be configured with caching rules to avoid hitting web servers with every request. There are even solutions that allow you to serve static assets directly without having to connect to the web server even once. Additionally reverse proxy is able to handle compression of these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server is also used as a very popular reverse proxy option. Although Apache has a reverse proxy service however, the Apache web server also comes with reverse proxy feature that is an added attribute of Apache however Nginx was designed initially to focus on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples

Because "forward" as well as "reverse" have connotations of directionality, as well as false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic, the labels can be confusing as both types of proxies are able to handle requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy is to study the requirements of the application that you are building.

A reverse proxy can be beneficial when creating an application that runs web-based services over the internet. They serve as your web servers when you interact on the web.

Forward proxy is useful when it is placed in front of customers for personal use, or in the corporate setting. They are your client's representative when you connect to the internet.

The use of case-based differentiation instead of focusing on common naming conventions can aid in eliminating confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified the definition of a proxy using two kinds that are forward and reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the beneficial features were used to distinguish between reverse and forward proxies. If you're interested in knowing more about how to implement proxy servers, you can refer to our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy with Apache using an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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