A proxy, also called an application called a proxy, serves in the role of an intermediary server and user on the internet. Without the proxy, a customer could send a request to a resource directly to a server and the server would serve the resource directly at the requester's. While this approach is straightforward to comprehend and implement, using proxies provides benefits such as improved performance, privacy, security, and many more. As a pass-through layer, the proxy functions as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the mixture of the server's hardware and proxy software is usually referred too as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are typically classified as software specifically in relation to web servers. This article will present a detailed breakdown of two types: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own usage scenario, which is often confused due to the same terms.




This article will give you details about the different types of proxy services, what their subtypes are, and how they function in a variety of configurations. Through this article, you will be able identify circumstances in which the use of proxies is advantageous, and select the right solution for reverse or forward proxy in any given scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to an open proxy serves as a representative for a user who wishes to make an internet-based request to the server which originated it. In this scenario the entire process of sending requests from the user will be sent via the forward proxy. A forward proxy, acting instead of the client will take a look into the request. Then, it will determine whether the client is authorized to send requests via this particular forward proxy. Then, it decides to refuse any request or to forward it to the source server. The client has no direct access to the internet. It is able to access only the information that the forward proxy allows the client to connect.




A popular use for forward proxies is greater privacy or security when using the internet. Forward proxy allows access to the internet in place of a client, and by doing this it may utilize an alternative IP address to the IP address that was originally used by the client.




Based on the way it has been configured and how it's configured forward proxy can provide you with different features based on the configuration, which allows you to:




Don't fall victim of ad trackers.


Circumvent surveillance.


Recognize restrictions based on location.




Forward proxies are also utilized to secure systems which are centralized as well as permission-based access in workplaces. If all traffic on the internet passes via an open forward proxy an administrator can grant just a handful of users access to the internet filtered by the standard firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls for the client layer, which could comprise a range of machines that have different environments and types of users, a firewall could be positioned on top of this intermediate layer of forward proxy.




It is important to remember that forward proxies need to be manually configured to use, whereas reverse proxies can not be noticed by the user. Depending on the type of IP address of a user is transferred to the server from which it originated via forward proxy Privacy and anonymity could be granted or not.




There are numerous alternatives to look into for forward proxy services.




Apache A well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another popular open-source webserver that comes with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: A no-cost forward proxy using an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the complete web server. Read our article on how to create Squid proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, making it more suitable for use instances like peer-to-peer communication. You can also learn how to configure Dante proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as an agent for a web server, which handles any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. The web server could comprise a server, or multiple servers. Also, it could become an application-server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request will originate from the internet at large. In the majority of cases your request is sent directly to the webserver along with the resources the user seeks. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary, isolating the webserver from direct communications with the internet.




From the point of view of a user, the experience of using a reverse proxy is no different from communicating with an internet server directly. It's essentially the same but the client is unable to be able to discern the difference. The client requests an item and receives it, without any further configuration needed on the part of the client.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




Security centralized on webservers.


The direction of traffic coming in according to rules you have set.


New caching functionality has been added.




While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy servers. Reverse proxy providers provide this benefit only to the layer of the webserver and not clients. instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the layer of web servers, which might contain many servers with different configurations, the majority in firewall protection is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interacting with a firewall and responding to requests from clients off of web servers enables them to concentrate solely on serving the needs of their customers.




In the event of multiple servers using reverse-proxies, the reverse proxy is also responsible for the direction of which requests are directed towards which servers. Multiple web servers may be operating within the same system, providing various kinds of resources or a mix of the two. They may use the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server, however they could also be outfitted with applications server protocols, such as FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy to direct visitors to specific server according to the service required, or to specific rules pertaining to the load of traffic.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their placement over web servers, as they provide the ability to cache. Large static assets can be created with caching rules to avoid needing to connect with web servers for each request. Some solutions allowing you to directly serve static content without having to connect with the webserver for even one time. Furthermore the reverse proxy is capable of handling the compression of these files.




The renowned Nginx web server functions as an extremely popular reverse proxy service. Although Apache is also a reverse proxy solution it is not the only one. Apache web server does have reverse proxy functions, but it's a distinct feature to Apache unlike Nginx was initially designed for and focuses specifically on reverse proxy features.



Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Use The Case



Because "forward" and "reverse" are associated with a sense of directionality and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing as the two types of proxies deal with requests and responses. The best method to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to take into account the needs of the application that you are developing.




A reverse proxy is a useful tool when building a solution to deliver web-based apps over the internet. They serve as your web servers during any interaction on the web.




Forward proxy can be useful when they are displayed in front of users either for personal use, or even in an office setting. They represent your client's activity when you use the internet.




Separating by use case, instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions can make sure that you don't get confused.



Conclusion



This article will explain the significance of a proxy using the two major kinds, namely forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical examples of use and a look at advantageous features were used to differentiate forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're keen to learn more about the advantages of proxies, then you can check out our guide for configuring Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy in Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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