The term "proxy" refers to a proxy, also called a proxy server is software acting as an intermediary client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, a client could send a request for resources directly to the server and it would then serve the resource directly back for the client. Although this method is easy to grasp and implement but the addition of proxy servers can bring advantages like increased efficiency as well as privacy, security and a host of other benefits. In addition to providing pass-through, the proxy serves as a security guardian of the internet between servers and clients.

The combined system of server hardware and installed proxy software is frequently described as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on the proxies that are usually classified as software, as well as in relation to web servers. We will discuss of the two major types of proxies, one being one that is a forward proxy and the reverse. reverse proxy. Each type has its own application and can be confusing because of the similar namesake convention.

This article will provide you with an idea of the different subtypes and proxies, as well as their benefits for setups that are common. If you've read the article carefully, you'll discern situations in which using proxies can be advantageous and choose the best option between reverse proxy and forward proxy depending on the circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy also known as the open proxy acts as the representative of a customer who wants to forward a request via the internet to the server that made it. In this scenario, all attempts to send requests made by the client's end will instead be routed through forward proxy. Forward proxy in lieu of the client, will examine the request. The first step is to determine if this client is allowed to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. It will then reject any request or forward it to the origin server. The client doesn't have a an internet connection directly; it can only reach what forward proxy permits it to access.

The most popular reason to use forward proxies is increased privacy or anonymity when surfing the web. Forward proxy's access to the internet as clients and, in this manner it may utilize an IP address different from the IP address used by the user.

Based on the way it's configured the forward proxy will grant a number of features 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 the location you are in.
  
  

Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide central security and access based on permissions, such as in a workplace. All internet traffic can pass through a common forward proxy, an administrator is in a position to grant only specific clients access to the internet through a single firewall. Instead of putting firewalls installed for the client layer that could include multiple machines with varying settings and users and environments the firewall is placed in a forward proxy layer.

It is crucial to keep in mind that forward proxy settings have to be manually setup to allow the use of these proxy servers for use, while reverse proxy settings are not able to be detected by the user. Based on whether or not an IP address belonging to a user is sent to the origin server through the forward proxy privacy and security may be granted or kept in the dark.

There are many 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 features.
  
  
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  Nginx Another well-known open-source web hosting server with forward proxy functions.
  
  
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  Squid: A no-cost forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. It's not the full webserver system. We recommend our guide on the best method to set up Squid proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, making it more suited to cases like peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to learn how to configure Dante proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy acts as an intermediary between web servers, and takes care of requests from clients on behalf of. The web server may serve as a single server, or a number of servers. In addition, it could function as an app server such as Gunicorn. In any event, an application request comes by a user on the internet in general. Most of the time, the request will go directly to the web server that hosts what the client is looking for. The reverse proxy acts as an intermediary to isolate your web server from contact to the open internet.

From a consumer's point of view, interacting with reverse proxy doesn't differ from connecting to the web server directly. It's functionally the same but the client isn't able to tell the difference. The client requests an item and is given 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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  The sending of traffic according to the rules you establish.
  
  
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  Added functionality for caching.
  
  

While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxy applications apply this feature only to only the server layer but not the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls for Web server layers which may comprise multiple servers that have different configurations, the majority of firewall security is aimed at the reverse proxy layer. In addition, taking the burden of interfacing with firewalls and responding to requests from clients off web servers lets them concentrate on serving the resources.

If there are multiple servers that have a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is also accountable for deciding which requests are directed to the server. There could be multiple web servers running on the same server, each serving different types of resources or a combination of both. These servers could use the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. They can also include applications server protocols such as FastCGI. You can also configure reverse proxy settings to redirect clients to specific servers based on the service being requested or to adhere to certain rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also take advantage of their placement on top of web servers by making use of caching. Large static assets can be configured with caching rules to avoid the web server from being hit with each request, with some options even allowing the provision of static files without having to connect directly to the website server. Furthermore, the reverse proxy is able to handle compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx web server is an extremely popular reverse proxy service. Although it's not a reverse proxy, the Apache web server also comes with the reverse proxy option as an added feature that is available to Apache whereas Nginx was initially designed for and focused on reverse proxy functions.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use Cases

Since "forward" along with "reverse" are associated with an impression of directionality, and also false comparisons with "incoming" in addition to "outgoing" traffic These labels can be confusing, because both types of proxies can manage requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy servers would be to study the needs of the application you are developing.

Reverse proxy is an effective tool when you are developing a solution to serve applications that are on the web. They act as your servers in any interaction with the Internet.

A forward proxy is useful to have in front clients to use for personal purposes or in a business environment. They are a representation of your traffic when you interact with the internet.

A distinction that is based on the use cases instead of looking at the common name conventions can aid you in getting rid of confusion.

Conclusion

The article explained what a proxy is as well as two types of them: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical examples of its use and a discussion of most useful features were used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning 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 for Apache on the Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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