A proxy or proxy server is software that sits acting as an intermediary for client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, a client will send a request to the resource directly to a server, and the server would serve direct to the client. Although this method is easy to grasp and use but using proxies has advantages such as more performance, privacy and security, among other things. As an additional layer being able to pass through, proxies function as a guardian to the internet between servers and clients.

In general, the system of server hardware along with the software for proxy installation is often called proxy servers. But, this article will focus on proxy servers that are usually described as software as well as those used in conjunction with web servers. We will present a summary of the two major kinds of proxy servers, namely the one that is forward and the reverse proxy. Each has their own use, which can be confusing because of a similar language.

This article will give you an understanding of what proxies and their subtypes are, as well as their value in a variety of configurations. Through this article, you'll know how to determine the situations in which a proxy is useful, and choose the most appropriate option to use a forward or reverse proxy, based on the circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy also known as open proxy. An open proxy acts as a representative for a client that is trying to connect online to a source server. In this scenario, the entire request sent by the client will rather be controlled by the forward proxy. Forward proxy in its place as the customer will examine the request. It will first check if the client been granted permission to send requests through this specific forward proxy. It then will reject a application and send it back to its source server. The client has no direct access to the internet. It can access only the information that the forward proxy allows it access to.

A common use case of forward proxies is greater privacy or security on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet instead of a client, and during this process it is using an alternative IP address from that of the client's original IP address.

Based on how it has been configured according to the way it was configured, forward proxy may offer a variety of features depending on how it is set up, allowing you to:

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  Avoid ad tracking.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Identify restrictions based on your location.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be used in systems of centralized security and permission dependent access, such as, in workplaces. If all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer, an administrator can limit access for only a select user group to the internet filtered through an common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer which can comprise a variety of computers with various environments and users, there is the possibility to install a firewall at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.

It is important to remember to remember that forward proxy servers need to be manually set up to be utilized, whereas reverse proxy servers may be hidden from clients. Depending on the type of IP address of the client, it will be passed to the server that originated it through forward proxy privacy and security may be granted or kept secret.

There are many choices to think about for forward proxies:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server that provides forward proxy capability.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open source web server with forward proxy features.
  
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire website server software. You can read our instructions on how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and is better suited to use in instances such as peer-to -peer traffic. You can also understand how to configure a Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions as an agent for a web server, which handles the incoming requests of clients on behalf of. Web servers can comprise a single server or multiple servers. It could also serve as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In both cases, the request is made by users on the internet in general. The majority of the time, requests will get sent directly to the web server that has all the resources the client is requires. However, a reverse proxy works as an intermediary and isolates Web servers and their direct communication with the internet.

From a consumer's point of view, interacting with reverse proxy is not any different from interacting with an internet server direct. It's basically the same, and the client cannot be able to discern the difference. The client requests it, then receives it without additional configuration needed to be completed by the client.

Reverse proxies offer features like:

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  A centralized layer of security that protects the server.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound based on rules that you can set up.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching is now available.
  
  

While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxies do this only to the server layer but not to the layer that clients use. Instead of establishing firewalls on Web server layers, which could contain many servers and different configurations, most security measures for firewalls are targeted towards the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of interacting with a firewall and communicating with requests from customers who aren't connected to web servers enables the firewall to focus on addressing the needs of their customers.

In the case of several servers running in a reverse proxy, it determines which requests are sent to which servers. Many web servers may be working within the exact same system and serving different types of resources or a mix of the two. These servers use the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. However, they could also be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can configure a reverse proxy to direct the clients towards specific servers based on the kind of resource they're seeking, or to comply with certain rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also be able to gain advantages from their positioning ahead of web servers by providing caching functions. Large static assets can to be configured using caching rules so that they do not have to contact web servers every time you request. Certain software solutions allow you to deliver static files directly without touching the web server for even one time. Furthermore reverse proxy solutions can manage compression of these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server can also function as a powerful reverse proxy option. Although it is true that the Apache webserver is also equipped with a reverse proxy, it can be used in conjunction with Apache however Nginx was originally built for and is focused on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use Examples

Since "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality and false comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. They can be confusing as both types of proxies process requests and responses. The best way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy service is to take into account the needs of the application that you're developing.

A reverse proxy is useful when you're designing a system to provide web-based services via the internet. They function as servers in any interactions through the Internet.

Forward proxy applications can be advantageous when presented to the client for your personal usage or in a professional context. They are your client's representative whenever you use the internet.

Utilizing case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the standard naming conventions will assist in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

This article defined what a proxy is along with two types: forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of the benefits were used to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the use of proxy servers we recommend you follow our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy on Apache running one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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