A proxy is also known as the software for proxy servers, acts in the role of an intermediary server and user on the internet. With no proxy in place, a user could make a request a source directly through a server, and the server could serve the resource directly to the user. While this approach is straightforward to understand and implement but adding proxies offers benefits such as improved performance as well as privacy, security and more. As a pass-through layer, the proxy functions as a gatekeeper of the internet between servers and clients.

Generally speaking, the mixture of the server's hardware with proxy software is commonly called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically defined as software, and specifically in relation to web servers. This article will give the full description of two types: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own usage scenario, and is frequently confused due to the same terminology.

This article will provide you with details about the different types of proxy services, what their subtypes, as well as how they work in various configurations. By reading this article, you will be able to recognize the circumstances in which using proxy services is advantageous and pick the most appropriate solution between reverse and forward proxy in any given scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy sometimes called an open proxy acts as a representative for a user who wishes to make an internet-based request to an the server that made it. In this scenario the entire effort to send requests from the user will instead be transmitted via the forward proxy. A forward proxy acting as a substitute for the client, will look at the request. It will then determine whether this client has the right to transmit requests through this specific forward proxy. It then decides whether to reject any request, or send it to the source server. The client does not have direct access for the web. It can access only the content that the forward proxy allows the client to connect.

A popular use for forward proxy is to provide greater privacy and security when surfing the internet. Forward proxy allows access to the internet in place of a client, and in this way, it could make use of a different IP address than the IP address used by the client.

Depending on how it's been configured depending on how it is configured forward proxy could offer you a variety of features based on the configuration it, allowing you to:

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  Don't be a victim of ad trackers.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Recognize the restrictions based on your place of residence.
  
  

Forward proxies are also used to secure systems which are centralized and also for access based on permissions in workplaces. When all internet traffic passes via an open forward proxy the administrator can grant just a handful of users connection to internet through the common firewall. Instead of creating firewalls on the server layer, that could include a variety of computers with different environments and types of users, a firewall could be positioned on top of this intermediate layer of forward proxy.

It is important to remember that forward proxy servers must be manually set up in order to be used, whereas reverse proxies can not be detected by the user. Based on the type of the IP address of the user who is transferred to the server that is originally through the forward proxy Privacy and anonymity may be granted or denied.

There are many options to consider for forward proxies.

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  Apache A well-known open source web server, which offers forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another widely used open-source webserver that comes with forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Squid is a free forward proxy that uses an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the complete web server. You can read our article about the best method to build a Squid proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is forward proxy which makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better for applications such as peer-to -peer traffic. You can also learn how to set up Dante proxy to permit private connections with Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy is an intermediary for a web server that handles any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. The web server could comprise one or more servers. It could also be an application-server like Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request will originate from the web at large. Most of the time, your request is made directly to the web server along with the resources the user seeks. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, separating the webserver from direct interaction with the open internet.

From the point of view of the user, the experience of interacting with reverse proxy is not different than connecting to an internet server direct. It's essentially the same but the client can't be able to discern the difference. The client asks for an item and receives it, with no further configuration needed from the client.

Reverse proxies provide features like:

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  Security centralized on webservers.
  
  
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  Directing incoming traffic based on rules you set.
  
  
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  New caching functionality has been added.
  
  

While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy servers. Reverse proxies offer this feature only to that layer on the webserver, not the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls at webserver level, that could include multiple servers and various configurations, the majority protection of firewalls is aimed to the reverse proxy layer. In addition, getting rid of the responsibility of interacting with a firewall and responding to requests from clients off of web servers enables them to focus solely on serving the requirements of their clients.

In the case of multiple servers using a reverse-proxy the reverse proxy is also responsible for the direction that requests are directed towards which servers. Multiple web servers could be operating on the same server, providing different kinds of resources, or a combination of both. They can use the HTTP protocol just like a conventional web server, but they could also be outfitted with applications server protocols, such as FastCGI. You can set up a reverse proxy that directs users to a particular server according to the service requested, or to adhere to a set of rules for the amount of traffic.

Reverse proxies may also benefit by their position over web servers, as they provide caching capabilities. Massive static files can be set up with caching rules to avoid having to contact web servers for each request. Some solutions allowing you to directly serve static files without having to interact with the webserver for even one time. Additionally reverse proxy solutions are capable of handling the compression of these files.

The popular Nginx web server is also used as a well-known reverse proxy service. While Apache is a reverse proxy service, the Apache web server does have reverse proxy features however, it's a distinct feature to Apache as opposed to Nginx was originally designed to and focuses on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use The Case

Because "forward" or "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic the labels can be confusing since the two types of proxies deal with both requests and replies. The best way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy providers is to look at the requirements of the application you're developing.

A reverse proxy is a useful tool in the development of a solution to offer web-based applications on the internet. They are your web servers in any interaction with the web.

Forward proxy are beneficial when they are put in front of users either for personal use or in the workplace. They serve as a representation of your client's activity when you use the internet.

The practice of separating by use case instead of using only common naming conventions can ensure that you aren't confused.

Conclusion

This article provides the definition of a proxy using the two major kinds, namely reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical examples of use and an overview of useful features were used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're looking to know more about the benefits of proxies, you can check out our guide for configuring Nginx as a web server and reverse proxy in Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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