"proxy" refers to a proxy server "proxy" refers to the fact that a proxy or proxy server. It is a software that sits acting as a mediator between server and client via the internet. Without the proxy, a client would make a request to any source straight to the server and it would deliver the requested resource directly back to the user. This is not difficult to comprehend and implement, using proxies can provide benefits in the form of increased performance, privacy, security as well as many other benefits. As a pass-through layer, proxies act as a gatekeeper on the internet between clients and servers.

In general, the combination of server hardware along with the software that is installed to make proxy connections is often referred to as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers which are usually described in terms of software and the ones used in conjunction with web servers. The article will provide an explanation of the two major kinds, namely forward proxy and reverse proxy. forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own specific usage, which can be confusing due to the overlapping terminology.

This article will provide you with an idea of the nature of proxies and their subtypes are and also their significance in normal setups. After reading this article, you will be able to identify scenarios where an effective proxy can be beneficial, and determine the most suitable choice between forward and reverse proxy in any circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Also forward proxy, also known as an open proxy is an agent of an individual user trying to send requests online to an server. In this situation every request made by the client will rather be sent through the forward proxy. In this scenario the forward proxy, acting in the client's stead will review the request. In the beginning, it will decide whether clients are authorized make requests via this particular forward proxy. Then, it can either reject requests or redirect them to the source server. The client is not able to have direct connection to the internet and has access only to what the forward proxy permits it to connect to.

The primary reason for people to utilize forward proxies is for more privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy connects to the internet for an individual client and in this way, it may use an IP address different from the IP address of the user.

Depending on the method by which it's setup, a forward proxy can perform a variety of capabilities, including the capability of:

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  Beware of ad-tracker.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You can identify limitations based on your location.
  
  

Forward proxies also are employed in systems to offer central security as well as permission-based access, for example, in a workplace. If all internet traffic flows through a common forward proxy layer, administrators may allow only a handful of clients online access which is then filtered by a common firewall. Instead of maintaining firewalls for the client layer, which may be used by multiple computers with different configurations and users and environments, a firewall can be added to this forward proxy layer.

Remember that forward proxy servers need to be manually setup before they can be used while reverse proxy servers could be disregarded by clients. Based on whether or not the IP address of the client has been transmitted to the origin server by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity may be granted or kept in the dark.

There are a variety of possibilities to think about for forward proxies.

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  Apache The Apache is a well-known open-source web server that offers forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another renowned open-source web server that has forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Squid is an open source forward proxy using the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer the complete Web server platform. You can check out our guide on the best method of installing Squid proxy to connect private networks on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante forward proxy which runs using the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP this makes it better to handle situations like peer-to-peer communication. You can also research how to configure Dante proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions in the capacity of an agent on a web server. It handles requests made by customers on its behalf. This web server can serve as a one server or multiple servers. It can also include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations, the request might originate from a user on the internet in general. In most cases, the request will be directly sent to the web server which holds the information that the user is seeking. In contrast, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary that isolates the web server from direct interaction with the open internet.

From the point of view of the user, working using reverse proxy isn't any different from the interaction with an internet server direct. It's the same thing but clients aren't able to tell the distinction. The client requests an item and receives it without further configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxy providers provide features like:

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  Centralized security for web servers.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic coming in is by rules you can establish.
  
  
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  Additional functions for caching.
  
  

While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies add this feature only to the layer of the webserver, and not to the client layer. In lieu of sustaining firewalls at the server layer, that could include several servers that have different configurations, the majority of firewall security is directed at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of dealing with firewalls as well as communicating requests from clients away from web servers allows the firewall to concentrate on providing the required resources.

In the event of multiple servers running behind a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy can also be responsible for directing what requests go towards which servers. There could be multiple web servers operating from the same host, serving different types of resources or a combination of both. These servers utilize the HTTP protocol to perform the role of a normal web server. However, they can be equipped with application server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up a reverse proxy to route the clients towards specific servers based on the resource requested or to follow certain guidelines regarding the traffic load.

Reverse proxies also have the ability to benefit from their location before web servers through caching features. The large static files can be configured with caching policy to prevent the web server from being hit with every request, with some solutions that allow you to serve static content directly, without having to connect to the web server in any way. In addition reverse proxy can be capable of compressing these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server also functions as a powerful reverse proxy option. Even though Apache is a reverse proxy solution however, this Apache website server additionally has reverse proxy functionality, it can be a second option for Apache while Nginx was designed initially for and concentrates specifically on reverse proxy capabilities.

Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Use Situations

Because "forward" or "reverse" are associated with an impression of directionality and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the names could be confusing since both types of proxy can handle both requests and responses. The best method to distinguish between both forward and reverse proxy is to take into account the requirements of the app that you're developing.

A reverse proxy could be helpful when you are developing a solution to serve web applications on the internet. They are your web servers for any interaction on the Internet.

A forward proxy is useful when presented to customers for your own usage, or even in a corporate setting. They are your client's representative in any interactions on the internet.

The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions will help you in avoidance of confusion.

Conclusion

This article describes what a "proxy" is and the two types that are the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical scenarios for its use as well as an examination of the beneficial features were utilized to differentiate the two types of proxies both reverse and forward. If you're looking for ways to implement proxies you can look up our guide on how to configure Nginx as an HTTP server and reverse proxy for Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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