A proxy, also called an application called a proxy acts to act as a mediator between server and user on the internet. With no proxy in place, a user could make a request the resource directly to a server, and the server would then serve the resource directly back for the client. Although this method is easy to understand and implement but adding proxies offers advantages such as increased performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As an additional pass-through layer the proxy acts as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the combination of server hardware with proxy software is often referred too as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxies that are traditionally defined as software, and in the context of web servers. This article will provide an in-depth breakdown of two types: forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type of proxy has its own scenario, and is frequently confused due to the same terms.




This article will provide you with details on what proxy services and their subtypes are and the way they work with a range of configurations. After reading this article, you'll be able identify situations in which using proxy services is advantageous, and select the most appropriate solution between reverse and forward proxy depending on the situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to the open proxy serves as a representative for a user who wishes to send an internet request to the server that made it. In this case, the entire process of sending requests by the user will be sent through the forward proxy. A forward proxy, acting instead of the client, will look into the request. Then, it determines if this client has the right to send requests using this specific forward proxy. It will then decide whether to deny any request or to forward it to the server that originated it. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It can access only the information that the forward proxy allows it to access.




A common use of forward proxy is to provide greater privacy or security when using the internet. Forward proxy is able to access the internet instead of a client. in this way, it could utilize an IP address that is different from the original IP address of the client.




Depending on how it's been configured, based on the way it is configured forward proxy can provide you with different features based on how it is configured, which allows you to:




Don't fall victim of ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Recognize restrictions based on geographical location.




Forward proxies are also used for security systems which are centralized as well as permission-based access, like at a workplace. When all internet traffic passes through an open forward proxy, an administrator is able to permit only a few clients access to the internet filtered through the common firewall. Instead of setting up security firewalls at the layer of clients which can comprise a variety of machines that have various environments and users A firewall can be positioned at the intermediate layer of forward proxy.




It is important to remember that forward proxies need to be manually configured for use, whereas reverse proxies can be hidden from the user. Depending on the type IP address of a user is transferred to the server that is originally via forward proxy Privacy and anonymity can be granted or not.




There are numerous options to consider for forward proxies.




Apache A well-known open source web server that offers forward proxy features.


Nginx: Another widely used open-source web server that has the ability to forward-proxy.


Squid: A no-cost forward proxy using an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the complete web server. We have an article on how to build a Squid proxy for private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is an forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, which makes it more suitable for applications such as peer-to -peer traffic. You can also learn how to configure Dante proxy to permit private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as an agent for a web server that handles any requests that come in from clients on behalf of. The web server may include servers, or even multiple servers. It could also be an application-server like Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request will come via the internet at large. In most cases the request will be transmitted directly to the web server along with the resources the user seeks. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary and isolates the webserver from direct interaction with the open internet.




From the viewpoint of a user the experience of using reverse proxy is not different than communicating with an internet server directly. It's functionally the same however the client can't see the distinction. The client requests the resource, and is then provided with it without extra configuration required by the client.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




Security centralized to web server.


Controlling traffic that is incoming by implementing rules that you establish.


New feature added to caching.




While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxies provide this service only to that layer on the webserver and not clients. Instead of maintaining firewalls in the web server layer, which might contain many 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 connecting with requests from customers via web servers allows them to focus solely on the requirements of their clients.




In the case of multiple servers using a reverse-proxy the reverse proxy also handles the direction that requests are directed to which servers. Multiple web servers could be running from the same host, providing various kinds of resources or a combination of both. They can utilize the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server, but they could also be outfitted with protocols for application servers such as FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy to direct visitors to specific server based on the service required, or to certain rules regarding the load of traffic.




Reverse proxies can also benefit by being placed over web servers as they offer the ability to cache. Massive static files can be created using caching rules to prevent having to contact web servers for each request. Certain software solutions let you directly serve static content without having to communicate with the webserver for even one time. In addition the reverse proxy is capable of handling the compression of these assets.




The renowned Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy solution. Although Apache is a reverse proxy solution, the Apache web server does have reverse proxy functions, but it's a separate feature available to Apache in contrast to Nginx was initially designed for focus specifically on reverse proxy features.



Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use



Since "forward" or "reverse" are ascribed to the notion of directionality, and misleading comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic, the names could be confusing because both types of proxy services handle both requests and replies. The most effective way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy services is to consider the requirements of the app you're developing.




A reverse proxy is a useful tool when you are developing a solution that can offer web-based applications on the internet. They serve as your web servers for any interaction you make on the web.




Forward proxy can be helpful when placed in front of users for personal use, or even in the workplace. They represent the traffic of your client whenever you interact on the internet.




Separating by use case rather than focusing solely on standard naming conventions can help ensure that you don't get confused.



Conclusion



This article provides the definition of a proxy using the two major types, which are the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical examples of use as well as a review of the advantageous features were used to differentiate forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're looking to know more about the possibilities of proxies, then you can read our guide for configuring Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy within Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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