A proxy, also known as a proxy is also known by the name of a proxy. It is a program that acts as an intermediary between client and server over the internet. Without the proxy, a customer would be able to send a request to every resource straight to server and servers would deliver the requested resource directly to the user. While this approach is straightforward to understand and use, however using proxy servers could provide advantages like increased performance, privacy, security, and so on. As an additional layer of protection proxy servers act as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.

The consensus is that the system of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxies that are traditionally referred to as software, specifically with respect with web server. We will present a summary of the two major types of proxies which are forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each kind has a distinct use, which could be confusing because of the identical name convention.

This article will provide you with an understanding of what proxies and their subtypes are, as well as their importance for the most common setups. By reading this article, you'll be able to know the scenarios where you can benefit from a proxy and decide on the appropriate alternative between reverse proxy or forward proxy for any scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy also referred to as open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy serves as an agent for a user who wants to send a request via the internet to a source server. In this case every request sent by the user will be handled by the forward proxy. A forward proxy in the instead of the user will examine the request. It will first determine whether the client is authorized to accept requests through this specific forward proxy. It will then either refuse requests or send it back to server that originated it. The client is not allowed direct access to the internet. it is only allowed access to the information that forward proxy grants its access.

The most frequent reasons for forward proxy is increased security or privacy on the internet. A forward proxy accesses the internet in lieu of an individual client, and in the process, it could use an alternative IP address, in contrast to the IP address used by the client.

Based on the way it's configured, based on the way it's set up forward proxy could provide many options and let you:

• 
  
• 
  Avoid tracking ads.
  
• 
  
• 
  Circumvent surveillance.
  
• 
  
• 
  Find restrictions based on the location.
  
• 
  

Forward proxies can also be used in systems to provide central security as well as permission-based access, such as at a workplace. If all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer, administrator can restrict access to only certain clients to the internet. The web is blocked by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls for the client layer which may include multiple machines with different user configurations, firewalls could be placed on the proxy layer that is in front.

Keep in mind that forward proxy servers must be set up manually for be used, while reverse proxies can be disregarded from the clients. Based on the type of IP address of a client is sent to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, security and privacy can be made more transparent.

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

• 
  
• 
  Apache is a well-known open source web server that offers forward proxy capability.
  
• 
  
• 
  Nginx is a popular open-source webserver, which comes with forward proxy capability.
  
• 
  
• 
  Squid is an open forward proxy open source that uses an HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the entire web server. You can refer to our guide on the best way for installing Squid proxy to permit private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
• 
  
• 
  Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which allows it to be more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. You can also learn how to set up a Dante proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
• 
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is a web server, which takes care of the requests of customers on behalf of the server. This server can serve as a single server or as a series of servers. Additionally, it can include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In any of these instances it is possible to send a request through the internet at large. In the majority of cases, the request is sent directly to the server, along with the resources the user requires. Reverse proxy acts as an intermediary, segregating your web server from communication with the internet's public.

From the point of the client's point of, using reverse proxy is not different from connecting directly to an internet server. It's functionally the same but the client isn't able to discern the distinction. The client requests the resource and receives it without any further configuration required on the part of the client.

Reverse proxies offer features such as:

• 
  
• 
  A central layer of security to guard the server.
  
• 
  
• 
  The direction of traffic that is according to rules you set up.
  
• 
  
• 
  A new feature to cache is now available.
  
• 
  

While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy solutions, reverse proxies provide this feature only to only the server layer and only the layer that clients use. In lieu of the maintenance of firewalls at the server layer that could contain multiple servers and different configurations, the bulk of firewall security can be focused at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of dealing with firewalls and interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers lets them focus solely on meeting the requirements of their customers.

In the case of multiple servers hosting through reverse proxy it also is responsible for routing requests to the server that is hosting them. Multiple web servers could be serving the same resource, or serving various kinds of resources, or a mix of the two. They may use an HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server, but they could also incorporate protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can create reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers based on the requested source, and to follow specific rules regarding traffic volume.

Reverse proxies can also benefit from their position prior to web servers by offering the ability to cache. Large static assets can be managed by caching rules to avoid from reaching web servers with every request. There are options that provide the possibility of serving static content directly without having to interact with the webserver at all. Additionally, reverse proxy can help compress these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server is a very popular reverse proxy option. Although the Apache web server is able to use a reverse proxy capabilities as an added feature available to Apache However, Nginx was initially designed focus on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use Examples

Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with the perception of directionality, they can lead to misleading comparisons with "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic and can be confusing since both kinds of proxies handle requests and responses. Instead, a better way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy servers is to study the requirements of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a vital element in the creation of a system to support websites on the internet. They act as your servers during any interaction through the Internet.

Forward proxy is useful for displaying customers for your own use, or for use in a working environment. They represent the client's information when you connect to the internet.

A distinction based upon use cases instead of focusing on similar naming conventions will help avoid confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified the meaning of a proxy. There are two types, the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to determine forward proxies as well as reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the use of proxy servers, read our guide on how you can configure Nginx as an internet server as well as reverse proxy on Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.