It is proxy is proxy is also known as a proxy server is software that sits acting as an intermediary between a client and server on internet. Without a proxy, a client could send a request for the resource directly to the server and it would then serve the requested resource directly to the user. While this approach is straightforward to understand and implement but using proxies provides advantages in the form of greater performance and privacy, security and many more. In addition to being able to pass between, it serves as a gatekeeper to the internet between users and servers.




There is a general consensus this: the mix of hardware for servers with installed proxy software is frequently referred too as proxy servers. In this article, we will focus on proxies typically described in terms of software as well as those that are employed together to web server. This article will present an in-depth description of two kinds of proxies such as a forward proxy and one called a reverse proxy. Each type has its own use case, often confused because of the similar namesake convention.




This article will provide an understanding of the different types of proxy and subtypes they have, and what ways they can be useful for the most common setups. Through this article, you'll be able to discern the scenarios where a proxy can be advantageous, and choose the best reverse or forward proxy in any given situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy, also known as the open proxy is a representative of a customer that is trying to route requests via the internet to an origin server. In this case, it's the scenario that all requests made by the client will be directed to the forward proxy. In this situation the forward proxy, instead of the client will examine the request. It will first will decide whether the client is permitted to send requests via this specific forward proxy. Then, it decides to deny this request as well as transfer it over to the original server. It isn't able to directly connect via the Internet. It is only able to access the information forward proxy permits it to access.




The most common use for forward proxies is to gain more privacy or security online. A forward proxy connects to the internet as a separate client, and during this way, it could make use of a different IP address opposition to the IP address that is used by the client.




Depending on how it's been established in the past forward proxy servers could provide a range of options, allowing you to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions based on your where you live.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems that provide central security and permission based access, for example, in the workplace. In the event that all internet traffic passes by an open forward proxy, the administrator is able to grant only a few clients connection to internet which is then filtered by a firewall that is common to all. Instead of establishing firewalls on the layer of clients that could include multiple computers with different user and environment the firewall can be placed at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.




Be aware that forward proxies need to be manually setup to use, whereas reverse proxies are often disregarded by clients. Based on the fact that clients' IP addresses are sent to the server that originated it via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity may be made clear.




There are many options to be considered when it comes to forward proxy options:




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


Nginx: Another renowned open-source webserver with forward proxy functionality.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It does not include the entire web server service. Read our article on the most efficient way to setup Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy which makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it better suited for scenarios like peer-to-peer communication. You might also want to learn how to set up the Dante proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a representative of a web server which handles requests from customers on its behalf. Web servers can represent a single or multiple servers. It could also be an application server such as Gunicorn. Any of the above scenarios, a request could come in via the internet at large. In most cases the request will be sent directly to the server with the resources that the user is seeking. The reverse proxy is a intermediary to isolate your server from interactions with the open internet.




From a user's point of view from the perspective of a customer reverse proxy is no different than communicating with you web server directly. It's basically the same, and the client can't tell the difference. Client requests resources, which is followed by receiving it, without any additional configurations required for the end-user.




Reverse proxy proxies may offer some features, including:




Centrally secured to protect Web Server Layer.


The sending of traffic in accordance with rules you can set up.


Additional functionality to cache data.




Although central security can be a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxy providers provide this benefit only to the server layer, not to the client layer. Instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the web server layer that may contain multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of firewall security resides at the layer of reverse proxy. Additionally, getting rid of the necessity of working with firewalls as well as connecting with requests from clients who aren't connected to web servers allows the firewall to concentrate on serving the needs of their customers.




If there are multiple servers connected to a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is also in charge of the way requests are handled on which server. Multiple web servers may be operating on the same server, serving various kinds of resources or a mix of the two. These servers may use the HTTP protocol as a conventional web server. They may also include applications server protocols such as FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy that directs customers to specific servers based on the type of resource they're seeking, or to comply with certain rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their positioning before web servers by delivering the capacity of caching. Large static assets are able to be configured using caching guidelines to avoid hitting web servers on each request, with some solutions offering the possibility to serve static files directly without connecting with the server even once. Furthermore reverse proxy can handle the compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server is also known as a reverse proxy feature. Although the Apache web server, it is equipped with a reverse proxy function it's an additional feature available only for Apache however Nginx was initially developed for and was designed to perform the reverse proxy function.



Differentiating Forward and Reverse Proxy Use Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use



Because "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality and false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels are confusing because both types of proxies can handle requests as well as responses. The best way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxies is to examine the requirements of the application you're developing.




Reverse proxy is helpful in the development of a system to deliver web-based applications on the internet. They function as servers during any interaction with the internet.




Forward proxy are beneficial when they are used before a client for personal use or in a work environment. They can be used to represent the traffic of your clients when you interact with the internet.




A distinction based on use case rather than focusing only on similar naming conventions can assist you in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article explains the definition of a proxy, which includes two main kinds that are forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical scenarios for application and an exploration of beneficial features was used to differentiate forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the possibilities of proxy services, then take a look at our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy and web server proxy on Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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