The term "proxy" refers to a proxy is also known as a proxy server is program that acts as an intermediary between client and server via the internet. Without the proxy, a user would send a request for resources directly to a server and it would deliver the resource directly back towards the customer. Although this method is easy to comprehend and implement, however, the addition of proxy servers could bring benefits including improved performance and privacy, security and many more. As an additional layer of pass-through, the proxy serves as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.

In general, the combination of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is frequently called proxy servers. This article will discuss proxies typically classified as software, as well as in relation to web servers. There will be a discussion of the two major kinds of proxies. One being forward proxy and the other being a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own application, and is frequently confused due to the similar namesake convention.

This article will give you an understanding of what proxies and subtypes are in terms of their importance for the common setups. If you've read this article, you'll understand the situations when the use of proxies is advantageous, and then choose the best choice between forward proxy and reverse proxy based on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy, also known in the context of the open proxy is the agent of a customer who wants to send an internet request to an the server that made it. In this situation, all attempts to make requests through the client's side will be routed to the forward proxy. Forward proxy in lieu of the client, will look into the request. First, it will find out if the client is allowed to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it will deny any request or forward it to the origin server. The client does not have direct connection to the internet; it can only reach what forward proxy permits it to access.

The most popular reason to use forward proxies is the increased privacy or anonymity when surfing the web. Forward proxy connects to the internet through clients and in this way it can use an IP address different from the IP address of the client.

Depending on how it's been configured the forward proxy will give you a range of options and the capability to:

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  Beware of Ad-trackers.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Find restrictions based on your area.
  
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Forward proxies are also employed in systems that offer centralized security as well as access to users based on permissions, for instance in workplaces. All internet traffic can pass through a common forward proxy and administrators are capable of allowing only certain clients to access the internet via a common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls installed to protect the client layer which could include multiple machines with varying settings and environments and users A firewall could be installed in an forward proxy layer.

It is important to remember to set forward proxy preferences must be manually set up to permit the use of these proxy servers in order to use them in reverse proxies, whereas forward proxy settings are not able to be detected by users. Depending on whether the IP address of the user is passed on to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, the privacy and security settings, it can be granted or left transparent.

There are a variety of options to think about when it comes to forward proxy alternatives:

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  Apache An open source well-known web server that has forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx: Another renowned open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy functions.
  
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  Squid is a free forward proxy that runs on the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire webserver system. It is possible to refer to our guide on the best way to configure Squid proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better suited to scenarios such as peer-to-peer communication. You can also learn how to set up Dante proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy functions as an intermediary for a web server, and handles requests from clients for the web server. Web servers can function as a one server or a number of servers. It could also function as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any case the request for an application comes by a user on the internet in general. Most of the time, the request will directly go to the web server which hosts the content that the client is searching for. Reverse proxy, however, acts as a middleman to protect your website server from communication via the web's public.

From the perspective of a user's perspective, using reverse proxy isn't any different than connecting to Web server in direct contact. It's basically the same but the client can't discern the difference. Client requests an item and receives it, without requiring any additional configuration by the client.

Reverse proxy providers provide features like:

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  The web server is secured centrally.
  
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  Directing traffic according to the rules you establish.
  
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  The caching functionality was added to the application.
  
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While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies do this feature only to only the server layer and not to the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls on Web server layers that may contain multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk in firewall protection is aimed towards the reverse proxy layer. In addition, taking the responsibility of connecting to firewalls and responding to clients' requests off of web servers enables them to concentrate on providing resources.

If there are multiple servers with a reverse-proxy, the reverse proxy will be also accountable for deciding what requests are directed to the server. There may be several web servers operating on the same server, each offering various kinds of resources, or a mix of both. These servers may use the HTTP protocol similar to a conventional web server. They could also incorporate application server protocols like FastCGI. You can also configure a reverse proxy to route clients to specific servers based on the service being requested or to adhere to certain rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies are also able to benefit from their position over web servers with the help of caching. The large static files can be set up with caching rules in order to avoid hitting web servers with every request, with some options even allowing users to upload static files directly without connecting directly to the website server. In addition, the reverse proxy can handle the compression of these assets.

The well-known Nginx webserver is a wildly popular reverse proxy service. However, the Apache web server comes with the reverse proxy function as an additional feature that is available for Apache however Nginx was designed initially for and specifically designed for the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use Situations

Since "forward" in addition to "reverse" are associated with the notion of directionality and also false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic These labels can be confusing, as both types of proxies are able to handle requests as well as responses. Another method of separating between reverse and forward proxy servers would be to analyze the requirements of the application that you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a useful tool to use when creating a solution for serving applications that are on the web. They represent your web servers during any interaction through the Internet.

A forward proxy is useful to use when you are working with clients in front for personal usage or even in a business environment. They can be used to represent the traffic of your clients whenever you connect to the internet.

A distinction based on usage case instead of focusing on the common naming conventions can assist you in getting rid of confusion.

Conclusion

The article explained what a proxy is along with two types being the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical examples of its use and a discussion of the most effective features were utilized to differentiate forward proxies from reverse. If you'd like to explore how to set up proxies, we suggest that you read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as an reverse proxy and internet server on Apache running and Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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