An proxy or proxy server is software that sits as an intermediary between a client and server on the internet. Without proxy, a user will send a request to an item directly a server, and the server would serve that resource to its user directly. While this is a simple method to understand and use, adding proxies offers advantages such as greater performance, privacy, security, and much more. In addition to moving through, proxies serve as a security layer for the internet between servers and users.

In general, the bundled combination of server hardware and the software to install proxy servers is often referred to as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are usually described as software, as well as those used together with web servers. We will present a summary of the two major types of proxies, those that are a one that is forward and the reverse proxy. Each has their own use that can cause confusion due to the same terminology.

This article will give you an idea of the what proxies and their subtypes are, as well as their utility in a variety of configurations. After reading the article you will be aware of how to identify the scenarios that a proxy can be useful, and choose the best choice for forward proxy or reverse proxy based on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy, also referred to as open proxy. An open proxy is a proxy for a client that is trying to send an online request to a source server. In this scenario, the entire attempt to send requests from the client will rather be directed by the forward-proxy. A forward-proxy, acting in lieu of the user will review the request. The first step is to check if the client been granted permission to send requests using this particular forward proxy. It will then reject an demand and then forward the request to an origin server. The client does not have direct connection directly to internet. It is able to access only what the forward proxy permits it to access.

One of the most common uses for forward proxies is greater security or privacy on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet instead of a client. in this process it utilizes an alternate IP address that is different from the initial IP address of the client.

Based on how it was set up according to the method of configuration, forward proxy may offer a range of features depending on how it's set up, allowing users to:

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  Do not be a victim of ad tracking.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Determine the restrictions that are based on your area.
  
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Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that use centralized security and based access, for instance, in workplaces. When all internet traffic is routed through an common forward proxy, a administrator can restrict access to a specific group of users to the internet, which is filtered by a common firewall. Instead of having firewalls in place on the client layer, which may comprise several machines that have different environments and users there is the possibility to set up a firewall located at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.

It is essential to note that forward proxy servers need to be manually configured for be utilized, whereas reverse proxy servers may be hidden from clients. Depending on the type of IP address the client is passed on to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, privacy and security is granted or left hidden.

There are a myriad of choices to think about when it comes to forward proxy options:

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  Apache: A popular open-source web server with forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open-source web server, which has forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Squid is an open-source forward proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. Squid doesn't come with a complete Web server app. You can read our instructions on how to set-up Squid proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more suited to use in instances like peer-to-peer communication. It is also possible to discover how to set up the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy is an intermediary for a web server, which handles any requests made by clients on its behalf. The web server could be a single server or several servers. It could also include an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any case, the request comes from a user on the internet generally. Most of the time, requests will get made directly to the server, which is equipped with all the resources that the user is needs. However, a reverse proxy works as an intermediary that isolates Web servers from direct contact with the open internet.

From a consumer's point of perspective, using reverse proxy is not different from interacting with an internet server direct. It's the same thing however the user cannot discern the distinction. The client makes a request for it, then then gets it without any additional configurations that need to be done by the customer.

Reverse proxies can provide features such as:

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  A central layer of security that protects the server.
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound based on rules you can set up.
  
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  A new feature to cache has been added.
  
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While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxies, reverse proxies provide this feature only to the server layer but not the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers which can include multiple servers and various configurations, most firewall security is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of communicating with firewalls and interacting with requests from clients that are not web servers permits the firewall to concentrate on addressing the needs of their clients.

In the case of several servers running in reverse proxy, it manages controlling which requests go to which servers. There are many web servers running on the same server, providing different kinds of resources or a combination of both. These servers use the HTTP protocol, which is similar to a traditional web server. However, they can be equipped with other protocols for application servers such as FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers to guide the clients towards specific servers depending on the kind of resource they are looking for, or to comply with certain rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies also have the ability to benefit from their positioning ahead of web servers by offering caching capabilities. Large static assets are able to be configured with caching rules, so that you do not need to connect with web servers on every request. Certain solutions offer the option to deliver static files directly without having to connect to the web server even once. Additionally reverse proxy is able to manage compression of these files.

The popular Nginx web server is also used as an effective reverse proxy service. While it is true it's true Apache webserver is also equipped with a reverse proxy which is a different option to Apache however Nginx was initially designed for and is focused on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples

Since "forward" and "reverse" are associated with the notion of directionality as well as false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic. They can be confusing since both types of proxy services process requests and respond. A better approach to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy services is to think about the requirements of the app that you're developing.

A reverse proxy is useful when you're designing a system to provide web-based solutions on the internet. They act as your servers for any interaction with the Internet.

Forward proxy applications are beneficial when it is put in front of a client for personal use as well as in an office context. They represent your customers when you connect to the internet.

A case-based distinction instead of focusing on the common naming conventions can assist you in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

This article defined what a proxy is along with two types: forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of useful features were utilized to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the ways to implement proxies then you should read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy on Apache running an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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