proxy or proxy is commonly referred to as a proxy server, a software that acts in the middle between a server and client via the internet. Without the use of a proxy, a user could send a request for any service directly from the server and then the server would provide direct access to that resource. This method is simple to grasp and use but the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages in terms of more performance, privacy, security, among other things. Apart from adding a layer of protection the proxy also acts as a guardian for the internet between users and servers.

In general, the package of server hardware along with installed proxy software is also often referred to as a proxy server. For this post, we will concentrate on proxies that are typically classified as software, and also in the context of web servers. We will provide a description of the two main types of proxies, which are the forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own usage scenario, which is often confused due to the overlap in name convention.

This article will give you some understanding about what proxies and their subtypes are, and how they can be useful in various configurations. In this article, you'll learn to recognize the situations where the use of proxies is advantageous, and then make the best alternative between forward and reverse proxy depending on the scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy, also known as open proxy. An open proxy is a proxy for a user who is trying to make a request via the internet to a source server. In this situation, any attempt to send a request by the user will be sent through the forward proxy. The forward proxy, in the place of the client, will examine the request. It will first determine whether the client has been granted permission to accept requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it'll either reject requests or redirect it to the source server. It's not able directly connect with the Internet. It only has access to what the forward proxy permits the forward proxy to connect.

A common use for forward proxy is to provide more privacy or security while online. A forward proxy can connect to web as a user and during this way, it assigns an alternative IP address in addition to the IP address of your client.

Depending on how it has been configured in accordance with the way it was configured, forward proxy may provide a variety of functions, allowing users to:

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  Beware of tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can identify limitations based on your geographic location.
  
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Forward proxies are also used in systems to provide central security and access through permissions, like in a workplace. Internet traffic can be routed via an open forward proxy, administrators can restrict access to specific people to connect on the internet. This is blocked by the typical firewall. Instead of having firewalls at the client layer, which could be used by several computer systems with different types of environments and users. A firewall may be found at this forward proxy layer.

It is important to know that forward proxies require manual setup in order to allow them to be used however reverse proxies won't be noticed by the user. Depending on whether your IP address the client is transmitted to the original server by forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or kept secret.

There are many alternatives to think about in the case of forward proxy services.

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  Apache: A popular open-source webserver that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source web server that has forward proxy functionality.
  
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  Squid is an Open Source Forward Proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. It doesn't come with the complete web server. This is a step-by-step tutorial to set up Squid proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it ideal for scenarios such as peer-to-peer connections. You could also examine how to set up the Dante proxy that allows private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy functions as an intermediary for web servers, which handles any requests that come in from clients its place. This server can serve as a one server, or a number of servers. It could also contain an application server such as Gunicorn. It is possible to get a request from a customer via the web at large. In the majority of cases the request will be directed directly to the web server that hosts the information the client wants. Instead, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary that blocks your server from communications with the internet's public.

From a consumer's point of viewpoint, or a user's viewpoint, interfacing via reverse proxy isn't any different from connecting to the server by itself. It's basically the same as Web server and client is unable discern the distinction. Clients can request the resource, and receive it, with no additional configuration needed by the user.

Reverse proxies grant features like:

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  Security centralized on webservers.
  
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  The direction of traffic that is incoming based on rules you can design.
  
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  The caching functionality was added to the application.
  
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While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy systems, reverse proxies do this for the web server layer, but not to the client layer. instead of having firewalls installed on the layer of web servers, which could contain multiple servers with various configurations, the majority of firewall security is located on that layer called reverse proxy. In addition, the absence of interfacing with firewalls and interfacing with requests from clients who do not have web servers allows them to concentrate on addressing the needs of their clients.

If there are multiple servers hosted by reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also determines which requests are routed to which server. Multiple web servers could be offering the identical service, however each providing different types of resources, or some combination of both. They may use the HTTP protocol in the same way as an ordinary web server but can be outfitted with protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can create a reverse proxy to direct clients to an individual server based on the resource requested, or to observe certain rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxy solutions can also benefit from their positioning on top of web servers through caching capabilities. Large static assets can be configured with caching rules in order to ensure that web servers are not hit every time you request. Some applications allow you to serve static content directly without connecting to a web server in any way. Additionally, the reverse proxy can be used to compress these assets.

The popular Nginx web server can also function as a popular reverse proxy solution. It is real that Apache web server has a reverse proxy features but it's an alternative option for Apache in contrast to Nginx was originally designed to focus on the reverse proxy feature.

Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Because "forward" and "reverse" are both associated with the perception of directionality, and misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. The labels can confuse because both types of proxies manage requests and responses. A better approach to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy services is to consider the requirements of the app you're building.

Reverse proxy is a crucial element when designing an application that can deliver web-based applications to the internet. They serve as your web servers during any interaction with the internet.

Forward proxy applications are useful when they are placed in front of clients to use for personal purposes, or in a work setting. They can be used to represent your client's traffic as you interact on the internet.

A case-based approach to differentiation rather than focusing exclusively on common naming conventions can ensure that you don't become confused.

Conclusion

This article clarified what is a "proxy" is with the two most common kinds of them being forward and reverse proxy. Practical applications and a discussion of beneficial features was used to distinguish forward proxies as well as reverse proxy. If you're interested exploring how to implement proxies you should check out our guide on how to set up Nginx as web server and reverse proxy to Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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