An proxy also referred to proxy server software that functions as a mediator between a client and a server on the internet. Without the need for a proxy, a user will send a request for the item to an online server, and the server will deliver the item directly to the client. While this is a simple method to understand and implement, the addition of proxies could bring advantages in terms of enhanced performance, privacy, security, and more. Alongside adding a layer of security proxy servers also act as a security guardian of the internet between servers and clients.




The consensus is that the collection of server hardware along with installed proxy software are also called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxies typically classified as software and within the web server context. We will provide a brief overview of the two primary types, namely which are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own usage and can be confusing because of a similar naming convention.




This article will provide you with an idea of the nature of proxies and what subtypes they are, as well as how they function in normal configurations. By reading this article, you'll discover how to identify the scenarios where it's beneficial to use a proxy and make the right choice between forward proxy and reverse proxy, in any situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



In the same way, a forward proxy sometimes known as open proxy. In other words, an open proxy is a proxy of a user who would like to send an internet request to an the server that originated it. In this scenario every attempt to send requests from the client's side will be routed directly through the forward proxy. This forward proxy in the in the place of the customer will review the request. First, it will decide if the client has the right to receive requests from this specific forward proxy. It then decides whether to refuse a request or forward it to the original server. The client isn't able to directly access the internet. It is only able to access the internet that the forward proxy grants its access.




The most popular reason to use forward proxies is to increase privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy can be used to access the internet in the place of a client and, in this way, it may use an alternative IP address to the original IP address utilized by the client.




Depending on how they've been set up in the past forward proxy servers may give you a variety of options and allow you to:




Avoid ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


You will be able to identify any limitations based on your geographic place of residence.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems that offer central security and authorization based access, for example, in the workplace. When all traffic on the internet passes through an open forward proxy,, administrators can limit access to those clients who are filtered through an common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer that could comprise a variety of machines that have different user and operating environments, the firewall could be placed into the forward proxy layer.




Note that the forward proxy setting have to be manually set up to use and reverse proxies are able to be not recognized by clients. Based on whether the IP address of a user is passed to the original server via forward proxy privacy and anonymity could be granted or denied.




There are a variety of possibilities to consider for forward proxies




Apache is a well-known open-source web server that has forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another popular open-source webserver, this one with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: A no-cost forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. Squid isn't a complete web server solution. Check out our step-by-step guide to create Squid proxy to allow private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy, which uses on the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP which makes it better suitable for situations like peer-topeer traffic. You can also examine the steps to install an Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy acts as a representative of web servers that handle the incoming requests of clients. The web server may include one server or several servers. Additionally, it can be used as an application server like Gunicorn. In either of these scenarios an application request comes by a user on the internet as a whole. Most of the time, the request will be directly sent to the web server with the information that the client is asking for. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary securing Web servers from direct contact with the internet's public.




From the point of viewpoint, or from a user's perspective, working via a reverse proxy similar to working with direct connections to an internet server. It's exactly the same thing, however the client cannot discern the distinction. 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:




Secured centrally for Web Server Layer.


Controlling traffic coming inbound according to rules that you can set up.


The caching feature is now available to users.




While centralized security is an advantage for both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxies offer this feature only to the server layer, and it is not available to the client layer. Instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers that could contain multiple servers and various configurations, the majority of the firewall security is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interacting with a firewall as well as dealing with clients' requests without the need for web servers enables them to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.




In the event that there's multiple servers being hosted with a reverse-proxy the reverse proxy is also responsible to direct which requests are routed at which server. There could be multiple web servers providing similar content offering different kinds of content or a combination of both. These servers may be running the HTTP protocol similar to a standard web server however they could also include different protocols for applications servers, such as FastCGI. You can also configure reverse proxy servers to redirect clients to specific servers in accordance with the resource requested or to comply with specific rules pertaining to traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their position ahead of web servers, by providing the ability to cache. The large static files can be set up using caching rules to prevent from hitting web servers on every request. There are solutions even allowing users to serve static files directly without having to connect to the web server even once. In addition reverse proxy is able to handle compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server can also function as an extremely popular reverse proxy solution. Although Apache is also a reverse proxy option, the Apache web server is also able to function with reverse proxy functionality that is an added attribute of Apache however Nginx was designed initially to focus on the reverse proxy feature.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use Examples



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with directionality, as well as false comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic, the labels could be confusing, as both types of proxies handle responses and requests. The best way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to examine the requirements of the application you're building.




A reverse proxy can be beneficial when creating a solution to provide web-based applications over the internet. They act as your web server for when you use the internet.




Forward proxy is useful when it is displayed in front of customers for personal use or within the corporate setting. They are your client's representative when you interact with the internet.




A case-based distinction instead of focusing on the commonly used naming conventions can help in avoidance of confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified the definition of a proxy, which includes two kinds: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as a summary of the beneficial features were used to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy. If you're interested to learn more about how to set up proxy servers, you can refer to our guide on how to configure Nginx as a web server and reverse proxy using Apache on Ubuntu 20.04. Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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