A proxy is also referred to an application called a proxy server that acts as an intermediary between client and server over the internet. Without proxy servers, users could make a request for servers directly and servers would provide requests directly for the resource requested by the client. It is an easy procedure to comprehend and use, the addition of proxy servers could provide benefits like improved performance as well as privacy, security and many more. As an additional pass-through layer proxy servers act as a gatekeeper of the internet between clients and servers.

Generally speaking, the bundled combination of server hardware and installed proxy software is often called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically understood as software as in the context of web servers. This article will give a description of the two primary kinds, namely which are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own use case, often confused due to the similar namesake convention.

This article will give you an idea of what proxy services and their subtypes are, as well as how they are useful for common setups. After reading the article carefully, you'll be able discern the scenarios where it's beneficial to utilize the proxy service and determine the best option between reverse proxy and forward proxy, in any situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy, also known as the open proxy acts as the agent of the client, in making an internet request to an the server that originated it. In this case the attempts to make requests from the user will be directed direct through the forward proxy. In this scenario the forward proxy acting on behalf of the client will review the request. It will first determine whether the client can make requests using this specific forward proxy. Then, it can either reject requests or redirect them to the original server. The client is not capable of having directly access to internet. It has access to only what forward proxy allows the client to access.

The primary reason for people to use forward proxies is to improve privacy or anonymity on the internet. A forward proxy utilizes the internet instead of an individual client and during this manner, it may make use of an alternative IP address that is different from the original IP address of the client.

Depending on how it's been setup, a forward proxy can offer a range of features and permit you to:

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  Beware of ads that track you.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Find restrictions based on the your location.
  
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Forward proxies may also be used in systems that provide centralized security and access that is based on permissions, for instance in workplaces. If all traffic on the internet flows through a common forward proxy layer an administrator can grant only a handful of users connection to internet through a common firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls on the client layer, that could include a variety of machines with varying settings and users there is a way to put an firewall installed an intermediary layer.

Take note that forward proxies need to be set up manually to allow them to be used and reverse proxies are able to be omitted by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of a user is passed to the original server through the forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or kept in the dark.

There are a number of alternatives to look into for forward proxies.

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server, that offers forward proxy features.
  
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  Nginx is another widely-used open-source webserver that includes forward proxy functions.
  
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  Squid: An free forward proxy which makes use of the HTTP protocol. It does not come with an an entire Web server software. We have a tutorial on how you can set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante is a forward proxy that runs using the SOCKS protocol in place of HTTP in order to be better suited for cases such as peer-to-peer connections. It is also possible to understand how to set up an Dante proxy that allows private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy acts as an agent for a web server that handles the incoming requests of clients on behalf. This web server may include one server or several servers. Additionally, it can be used as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations the request will come from a user via the internet in general. The majority of the time, this request is sent directly to the website server that hosts the information that the client is requesting. Instead, a reverse proxy serves as a middleman to separate Web servers and prevent direct contact with the public internet.

From a consumer's point view from a client's perspective, using reverse proxy is not the same as working with a Web server in direct contact. It's basically the same thing, however clients aren't able discern the difference. The client requests the resource and it gets it, without any extra configuration required from the user.

Reverse proxies provide features like:

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  A central layer of security that guards the server.
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound based on rules you can configure.
  
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  New feature added to caching.
  
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Although central security is a benefit for both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxies offer this feature to that layer that is on the webserver, and not to the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at the server level that may comprise multiple servers with different configurations, the bulk of security for firewalls is centered upon the reverse proxy. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interfacing with firewalls and interacting with client requests via web servers allows the firewall to concentrate on providing the resources.

If there are multiple servers within a reverse proxy the reverse proxy also determines which requests go at the server. There could be multiple web servers that provide identical content, supplying various kinds of services, or a combination of both. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol exactly the same way as the traditional web server. However, they can also be equipped with protocol for application servers like FastCGI. You can set up a reverse proxy to send visitors to specific server depending on the service they require, or to adhere to certain rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also benefit from their position prior to web servers through the capability to store data. Large static assets can be configured with caching rules in order to avoid needing to connect with web servers every time you request. There are some solutions even allowing you to serve static files directly without having to connect to the server once. In addition reverse proxy can manage the compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx web server also functions as a reliable reverse proxy solution. However, Apache is also a reverse proxy option but the Apache web server also comes outfitted with a reverse proxy option as an additional option for Apache unlike Nginx was originally designed to and focuses on reverse proxy functions.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Situations

Because "forward" or "reverse" are associated with the notion of directionality, as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic The labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxies handle requests and responses. The best way to distinguish between forward and reverse proxies is to examine the specifications of the application you're working on.

Reverse proxy can be a valuable tool to use when developing a solution to serve web-based applications via the internet. They represent your web servers every time you use the internet.

A forward proxy can be helpful when placed before clients for your personal use or in a professional context. They represent the client's online traffic in any interaction on the internet.

The practice of segregating by use case, instead of focusing on the similar names will help in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

This article will explain the significance of a proxy, with two types: the forward proxy as well as the reverse. Practical application scenarios and an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in exploring implementation of proxies we recommend you follow our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy for Apache using an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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