proxy, also known as proxy, also referred to as proxy or proxy server, is a server software that acts acting as an intermediary between a client and server over the internet. With no intermediary users would make a request to purchase an item direct to a server, and servers would deliver the item directly to the client. While this is a simple method to understand and implement, adding proxies provides benefits such as improved speed, privacy, security and more. As a pass-through layer proxy serves as a security barrier on the internet between servers and clients.

In general generally speaking, the bundle of server hardware and proxy software is called a proxy server. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers which are generally referred to as software, as well as those that are used in conjunction with web servers. We will present a summary of the two types of proxy servers, which are forward and reverse proxy. forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own unique use case, and can be misinterpreted due to the similar terminology.

This article will give you an idea of the different types of proxy services and the subtypes are, as being able to explain how they can be useful for the most typical configurations. Through this article, will be able to identify the situations where you can benefit from a proxy and decide on the best choice between reverse and forward proxy for any particular situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy sometimes called the open proxy is an agent used by a user who wishes to send a request through the internet to the server which originated it. In this case, it's the situation that all requests made by the client should be routed straight towards the forward proxy. The forward proxy, in the position of the customer will review the request. At the beginning, it will determine whether the client can accept requests through this specific forward proxy. It will then refuse requests or redirect it to the server that originated it. The client doesn't have a an internet connection directly; it can only access what forward proxy grants to access.

The most common reason to utilize forward proxy servers is to gain greater privacy or anonymity on the internet. Forward proxy allows you to browse the internet instead of clients. In the process, it uses an IP address that is different from the IP address originally used by the client.

Based on how it was configured in accordance with the way it was configured forward proxy may offer you a range of functions in addition to the capability to:

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  Avoid tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can identify restrictions based upon your geographic location.
  
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Forward proxies can also be used in systems to provide central security and access based on permissions, such as at a workplace. If all internet traffic flows by an open forward proxy, an administrator is able to allow access only to a few users to the internet, which is blocked by a standard firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer which could comprise a variety of devices that are different in terms of user and environment A firewall can be placed on top of an front proxy layer.

Be aware that forward proxies need to be manually setup before they can be utilized for use, while reverse proxy's are able to be detected by the user. Depending on whether your IP address a user is transmitted to the server that generated it via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or made transparent.

There are a variety of options to take into consideration for forward proxies

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  Apache An open source, well-known web server that provides forward proxy capability.
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy capability.
  
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  Squid: An open-source forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. It's not a complete web-based server. Take a look at our guide on how you can configure Squid proxy so that it allows private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP to allow it to be more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to -peer traffic. You might also want to examine how you can configure Dante proxy for private connections using Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary for a web server, which handles any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. Web servers can represent one or more servers. In addition, it could serve as an application server, like Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios, an application request is made by a user of the internet at large. In most cases the request will be sent directly to the server that hosts the information the user wants. Contrarily reverse proxy serves as an intermediary that helps to protect Web server from any direct contact with the open internet.

From the perspective of a user's view, working using reverse proxy is any different from working with Web server directly. It functions identical to the web server, and the client is unable tell the distinction. Clients can request the resource, and is then provided with the resource without any additional configuration on the part of the user.

Reverse proxy providers provide the following features:

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  Centrally secured for Web Server Layer.
  
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  The direction of traffic coming in based on rules you set.
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
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Although centralized security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxies apply this for their web server layer, and not the client layer. Instead of focusing on maintaining firewalls within the layer of web servers which may contain multiple servers that have different configurations The majority of firewall security is focused at the reverse proxy layer. Also, the removal of the responsibility to interact with a firewall and communicating with requests from clients from web servers enables them to concentrate entirely on satisfying the requirements of their clients.

If there are more than one servers running through a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy can also be responsible for directing the requests that are directed to which server. There could be multiple web servers serving similar resources each offering different types of resource or a mix of both. They can use their own HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server, but they also include protocols used by applications like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy in order to direct visitors to a specific servers based on the kind of resource they are looking for, or to follow certain rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies also can utilize their positioning before web servers, by providing the capability of caching. Large static assets are in a position to be set up using caching rules that prevent them from the web server from being hit on every request. There are solutions offering an option to provide static files in a direct manner without connecting directly to the website server. Additionally, the reverse proxy will manage the compression of these assets.

The renowned Nginx web server is a well-known reverse proxy choice. While Apache has a reverse proxy service, the Apache web server is equipped with reverse proxy features, it is a distinct option in Apache but Nginx was designed originally for and geared towards the reverse proxy feature.

The difference in Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Because "forward" and "reverse" are associated with directionality as well as misleading comparisons with "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic. They could be confusing since both kinds of proxies can handle requests as well as responses. In addition, the most effective method of separating reverse and forward proxies is to examine the needs of the application you're creating.

A reverse proxy could be helpful when building an approach to connect web-based applications to the internet. They act as your servers when you are on the internet.

Forward proxy are beneficial when they are put in front of the user for personal use or in a work setting. They are your client's proxy when you use the internet.

Distinguishing by use case in lieu of looking at similar naming conventions will make sure that you don't get confused.

Conclusion

This article clarified what a proxy is with two types, namely the forward proxy as well as the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of useful features were utilized to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning more about the implementation of proxies, you should go through our guide on how to set up Nginx as web service and reverse proxy in Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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