A proxy is also known as the software for proxy servers, acts to act as a mediator between the server and client on the internet. Without the proxy, a customer could make a request a source directly through a server and the server would then serve the resource directly at the requester's. This is a simple method to understand and implement but adding proxies offers advantages such as increased performance as well as privacy, security and more. As an additional layer of pass-through, the proxy acts as a guardian for the internet between servers and clients.

Generally speaking, the combined mixture of the server's hardware with proxy software is usually referred too as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxies which are generally classified as software when referring to web servers. This article will provide an in-depth breakdown of two kinds: forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type of proxy has its own situation, and it is frequently not understood due to the similar terminology.

This article will provide information about the different types of proxy services, what their subtypes are and the way they work in various configurations. By reading this article, you will be able to identify the circumstances in which using proxies can be beneficial, and choose the best option between forward and reverse proxy depending on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy also referred to the open proxy serves as a representative for a customer who needs to make an internet-based request to an the server which originated it. In this case, the entire effort to send requests from the user will instead be sent through the forward proxy. A forward proxy, acting instead of the client will take a look at the request. Then, it will determine whether this client is authorized to transmit requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it decides to deny any request or forward it to the server that originated it. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It is able to access only the content that forward proxy allows it to access.

One of the most popular uses for forward proxy is to provide greater privacy or security while using the internet. Forward proxy is able to access the internet in place of a client, and as such, it could make use of a different IP address than the original IP address of the client.

Depending on how it has been configured depending on how it's configured forward proxy can offer you a variety of features based on the configuration it, allowing you to:

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  Don't fall victim of ad trackers.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Recognize the restrictions based on your place of residence.
  
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Forward proxies are also utilized to secure systems which are centralized as well as access that is permission-based for instance, such as at work. When all internet traffic passes via an open forward proxy the administrator is able to permit only a small number of clients access to the internet through the firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls for the client layer, which could comprise a range of computers with various environments and users, a firewall could be positioned at this forward proxy layer.

It is essential to note that forward proxies need to be manually set up in order to be used while reverse proxies will not be detected by the user. Depending on the type IP address of the user who is transferred to the server from which it originated via forward proxy Privacy and anonymity may be granted or denied.

There are many alternatives to look into for forward proxies.

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  Apache An open source well-known web server, which offers forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx: Another widely used open-source web server that has the ability to forward-proxy.
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy using an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the complete web server. Read our article about the best method to create Squid proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante is forward proxy which makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better for usage scenarios like peer-to-peer communication. You can also learn how to set up Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions as an agent for a web server that handles the incoming requests of clients on behalf of. The web server could comprise servers, or even multiple servers. It could also be an application-server like Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request will originate from the web in general. In the majority of cases, the request will be transmitted directly to a web server with the resources that the user is seeking. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and isolates the webserver from direct interaction with the internet.

From the perspective of the user, the experience of interacting with reverse proxy is not different than communicating with an internet server direct. It's essentially the same but the client can't see the distinction. The client requests the resource, and is then provided with it without extra configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxies can provide features such as:

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  Centralized security for web servers.
  
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  The direction of traffic coming in based on rules you set.
  
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  New feature added to caching.
  
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While central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxy servers provide this service only to the layer of the webserver and not to those who are on the client side. Instead of maintaining firewalls on webserver level, which might contain many servers with different configurations, the majority in firewall protection is aimed to the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interacting with a firewall and connecting with requests from customers through web servers allows them to concentrate on addressing the needs of their customers.

If there are multiple servers using reverse-proxies, the reverse proxy is also responsible for the direction that requests are directed towards which servers. There could be multiple web servers running within the same system, providing different types of resources or a combination of the two. They can utilize the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server, however they may also be able to be equipped with protocols for application servers like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy to direct visitors to specific server according to the service requested, or to adhere to specific rules pertaining to the amount of traffic.

Reverse proxies may also benefit by being placed on top of web servers, as they provide caching capabilities. Massive static files can be configured with caching rules to avoid the need to call web servers each time you request. Certain software solutions let you directly serve static assets without having to connect with the webserver even once. Additionally, the reverse proxy is able to handle the compression of these files.

The popular Nginx web server is also used as a well-known reverse proxy solution. While Apache is also a reverse proxy solution, the Apache web server also comes with reverse proxy features however, it's a separate feature available to Apache unlike Nginx was initially designed for and is focused on the reverse proxy feature.

Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Use The Case

Because "forward" or "reverse" are ascribed to a sense of directionality and false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing as both types of proxy services handle the processing of requests as well as responses. The most effective way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy services is to take into account the needs of the application that you are developing.

A reverse proxy is useful when you are developing a solution that can provide web-based applications over the internet. They act as your web server during any interaction on the internet.

Forward proxy are beneficial when they are put in front of users for personal use, or in a workplace setting. They are a representation of your client's activity every time you connect to the internet.

The practice of separating by use case rather than just focusing on the most standard naming conventions can help ensure that you aren't confused.

Conclusion

This article explains the meaning of a proxy, focusing on the two primary types, namely the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical examples of how to use them and an overview of beneficial features was utilized to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're keen to learn more about the possibilities of proxies, you can check out our guide on how to configure Nginx as a web server and reverse proxy in Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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