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The term "proxy" refers to a proxy, also called the software for proxy servers that serves to act as a mediator between server and client over the internet. With no proxy in place, a client could send a request to a service directly from a server, and the server would serve the resource directly to the user. While this approach is straightforward to comprehend and implement, the addition of proxies can bring advantages such as increased performance as well as privacy, security and many more. As an additional layer of pass-through, the proxy acts as a gatekeeper of the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the mixture of the server's hardware and installed proxy software is often called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically classified as software in the context of web servers. This article will give an in-depth breakdown of two types: forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own usage scenario, and is frequently misunderstood because of the identical terms.




This article will provide information about the different types of proxy services, what their subtypes, as well as how they work with a range of configurations. After reading this article, you will be able to identify the instances where using proxy services is advantageous, and select the best option between forward and reverse proxy for any particular scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy sometimes called an open proxy acts as a representative for a client who wants to make an internet-based request to an the server that made it. In this situation, the entire effort to send requests from the user will instead be made via the forward proxy. A forward proxy acting as a substitute for the client will take a look at the request. Then, it will determine whether the client is authorized to transmit requests via this particular forward proxy. Then, it decides to deny any request or 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 popular use for forward proxies is greater privacy or security while using the internet. Forward proxy is able to access the internet in place of a client. as such it may use a different IP address than the original IP address of the client.




Depending on how it has been configured and how it's set up forward proxy can provide you with different features based on the configuration and enables you to:




Do not be a victim of ad trackers.


Circumvent surveillance.


Recognize restrictions based on geographical location.




Forward proxies are also utilized for security systems which are centralized as well as permission-based access for instance, such as at work. If all traffic on the internet passes through an open forward proxy the administrator is able to grant only a few clients online access filtered through the common firewall. Instead of creating security firewalls at the layer of clients that could include a variety of devices that operate in various environments and users A firewall can be positioned on top of this intermediate layer of forward proxy.




It is important to remember that forward proxies need to be manually set up to use while reverse proxies will not be noticed by the user. Depending on the type the IP address of the user, they are transferred to the origin server via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity may be granted or not.




There are numerous options to consider for forward proxies.




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


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


Squid: A free forward proxy that uses an HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the complete web server. We have an article on the best way to build a Squid proxy for private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP making it more suitable for use instances such as peer-to -peer traffic. It is also possible to learn how to configure Dante proxy to permit private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as a representative of the web server which manages any requests that come in from clients on behalf of. Web servers can comprise servers, or even multiple servers. Additionally, it can be an application-server like Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios the request will be made via the web at large. In most cases, requests will then be made directly to the web server with the resources that the user seeks. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, separating this webserver from direct communication via the open internet.




From the perspective of the user, the experience of using reverse proxy is not different from communicating with an internet server directly. It's essentially the same but the client is unable to discern the difference. The client asks for a resource and then receives it, without any extra configuration required from the client.




Reverse proxies offer features like:




Centralized security to web server.


Controlling traffic that is incoming according to rules you have set.


New functionality added for caching.




While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy servers. However, reverse proxy servers offer this feature only to that layer on the webserver, not the client layer. Instead of maintaining firewalls at the layer of web servers that could include multiple servers and different configurations, the majority protection of firewalls is aimed at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interacting with a firewall and responding to requests from clients via web servers allows them to focus solely on addressing the requirements of their clients.




In the case of multiple servers running reverse-proxies, the reverse proxy can also handle the direction of which requests are directed to which servers. There could be multiple web servers operating within the same system, each providing different types of resources or a combination of both. They can utilize the HTTP protocol just like a conventional web server, however they could also be outfitted with application server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy to direct visitors to specific servers based on the services you request, or to specific rules pertaining to the amount of traffic.




Reverse proxies can also benefit by their position on top of web servers as they offer the ability to cache. Massive static files can be configured using caching rules to prevent needing to connect with web servers for each request. Certain solutions allow you to directly serve static files without having to connect with the webserver even once. Additionally the reverse proxy is able to handle the compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server is also used as a well-known reverse proxy service. Even though Apache is a reverse proxy solution it is not the only one. Apache web server also has reverse proxy capabilities, however, it's a distinct feature to Apache in contrast to Nginx was initially designed for and focuses on the reverse proxy feature.



Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use



Because "forward" or "reverse" are both associated with the notion of directionality, and inaccurate comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxies handle requests and responses. The best way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy is to look at the requirements of the app you're developing.




A reverse proxy is a useful tool when building a solution to deliver web-based apps over the internet. They are your web servers during any interaction on the web.




Forward proxy are beneficial when they are they are displayed in front of users either for personal use, or even in a workplace setting. They are a representation of the traffic of your client every time you connect to the internet.




The practice of segregating by use case instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions can make sure that you don't get confused.



Conclusion



This article provides the definition of a proxy using the two primary types, namely the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical examples of use and a look at advantageous features were utilized to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're looking to know more about the benefits of proxies, you can read our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy within Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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