A proxy is can also be referred to as the software that serves as an intermediary between a client and server via the internet. Without the need for a proxy, a user could send a request to servers directly and servers would then serve the requested resource directly to the user. Although this may be a straightforward process to grasp and use the addition of proxies can bring benefits such as enhanced performance, privacy, security, and much more. As a pass-through layer they serve as a security barrier on the internet between clients and servers.

In general, the integrated set of server hardware along with installed proxy software is often referred as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers which are typically understood as software, and as in the context of web servers. The article will provide a description of the two types of proxy servers, which include a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct use case, often confused due to the identical namesake convention.

This article will provide you with an idea of different types of proxy services and what their subtypes, as well as the ways they can be useful for common setups. If you've read in this post, you'll discern the scenarios where it is beneficial to use a proxy and decide on the right choice between forward and reverse proxy for any scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy, also known in the context of or an open proxy acts as the representative of the client trying to make an internet request to an the server which made it. In this situation, all attempts to send requests by the user will instead be sent directly through the forward proxy. In this scenario the forward proxy, instead of the client will examine the request. It will first determine whether this client is able to send requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it will either refuse requests or redirect it to the original server. The client isn't able to have an internet connection directly. It can access only what the forward proxy allows it to connect to.

The primary reason for people to use forward proxies is to increase privacy or anonymity on the internet. Forward proxy makes use of the internet to replace an individual client, and in this way, it may use an alternative IP address to the original IP address that is used by the client.

Based on the way it's set up the forward proxy will provide a variety of functions and let you:

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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 place of residence.
  
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Forward proxies may also be employed in systems that offer centralized security and access based on permissions, for instance in a workplace. If all traffic on the internet flows through an open front proxy, the administrator is able to permit only a few clients connection to internet via an common firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls at the client layer which can involve many machines that have different settings and users there is a way to put a firewall set up at on the proxy layer that is front.

Be aware that forward proxy servers must be manually set up in order to permit them to be used and reverse proxies are able to be ignored by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of a client is sent to the source server through the forward proxy, security and privacy can be granted or kept in the dark.

There are several possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxy options:

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  Apache is an well-known open-source web server, that offers forward proxy features.
  
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  Nginx: Another popular open-source webserver which has forward proxy functionality.
  
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  Squid is an Open Source Forward Proxy which utilizes an HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the entire Web server software. You can read our tutorial on how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante is a forward proxy that runs the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP so that it is more to work in situations like with peer-to-peer traffic. You might also wish to learn how to create the Dante proxy that allows private connections on Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy acts as a representative of a web server that handles any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. The web server could comprise one server or several servers. Additionally, it can serve as an app server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios a request could originate from a user on the internet in general. Most of the time it is transmitted directly to the website server that hosts the information the client is seeking. A reverse proxy acts as an intermediary to isolate Web servers from direct interaction with the internet's public.

From a consumer's point the client's point of view using a reverse proxy is no the same as working with a web servers in direct contact. It's basically the same thing, however the client isn't able to tell the distinction. Client requests the resource, and it gets it, without any extra configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxies provide features like:

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  A central layer of security that guards the server.
  
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  Controlling traffic that is inbound according to rules you can define.
  
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  New functionality added for caching.
  
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While central security is a benefit for both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxy providers offer this feature only to the layer of the webserver rather than the client layer. Instead of coordinating firewalls at the server level, which could contain multiple servers with different configurations, the bulk of firewall security is placed on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interacting with firewalls as well as interfacing 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 takes care of directing the requests to which server. There may be several web servers providing the same content, offering different types of services or a mixture of both. They could use the HTTP protocol similar to an ordinary web server. However, they could be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers to route visitors to specific server depending on the service they require, or to adhere to specific rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies also benefit from their position prior to web servers through the capability to store data. Massive static resources can be created with caching rules to avoid having to call web servers every time you request. Some solutions even allowing users to serve static content directly without having to connect to the server once. In addition reverse proxy can manage the compression for these files.

The popular Nginx web server can also function as a powerful reverse proxy service. Although Apache is also a reverse proxy solution but the Apache web server is also outfitted with a reverse proxy option as an additional option for Apache in contrast to Nginx was initially designed for and is focused on reverse proxy functions.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use Cases

Due to the fact that "forward" as well as "reverse" come with connotations of directionality and misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic The labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxies handle requests and responses. The most effective way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxies is to examine the needs of the app you're creating.

Reverse proxy can be a valuable tool when you are developing a solution to serve applications on the web via the internet. Reverse proxy servers represent your website whenever you interact on the web.

Forward proxy can be useful when it is placed in front of customers for your own usage or in a professional setting. They represent your client's web traffic during any internet-based interaction.

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 that has two kinds: the forward proxy as well as the reverse. Practical scenarios for application and an examination of the beneficial attributes were used to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about implementation of proxies we recommend you follow our tutorial on how to configure Nginx for use as an online server and reverse proxy for Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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