proxy, also referred to as a proxy or proxy server, is a server software that acts as a mediator between client and server via the internet. Without an intermediary, users would make a request for an item direct to a server and servers would serve the resource directly back to the client. While this is a simple method to understand and use, adding proxies offers benefits like improved performance, privacy, security and many more. A proxy that is a pass-through layer acts as a gatekeeper of the internet between servers and clients.

In general generally speaking, the bundle of server hardware with installed proxy software is often called a proxy server. But, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are usually referred to as software, as well as those used together with web servers. We will present a summary of the two main types, namely forward and reverse proxy. forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each comes with its own specific application scenario, and it is frequently misunderstood due to the same terminology.

This article will provide you with an understanding of different types of proxy services and the subtypes are, as being able to explain how they can be useful in common configurations. Through this article, will be able to identify the scenarios where you could benefit from proxy services and determine the most appropriate option in between reverse and forward proxy in any given situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy often called an open proxy is an agent for users who want to transmit a request over the internet to the server which originated it. In this case, it's the scenario that all requests sent by the client should be sent straight towards the forward proxy. This forward proxy acting in position of the customer, will examine the request. At the beginning, it will decide whether this client is able to accept requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either decide whether to reject requests or redirect them to the original server. The client is not able to have direct connection to the internet; it can only access what the forward proxy gives it access to.

The most common reason for using forward proxy services is to gain greater privacy or security online. Forward proxy allows you to connect to the internet instead of clients, and in the process, it'll use an alternative IP address to the IP address that was originally used by the client.

Based on how it was configured in accordance with the way it was configured, a forward proxy could provide you with a variety of features as well as the ability to:

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  Beware of ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You can determine limitations based on your geographical area.
  
  

Forward proxies are also used in systems to provide central security and access based on permissions, such as at a workplace. If all traffic on the internet is routed by an open forward proxy an administrator can restrict access to certain users to the internet, which is filtered by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer, which can comprise a range of computers that have different users and environment A firewall can be set up on top of an front proxy layer.

It is important to remember that forward proxy servers have to be set up manually before they can be utilized in order to be used and reverse proxy's are able to be seen by users. Depending on whether the IP address of the user is transmitted to the server that originated it by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity may be granted or kept in the dark.

There are several possibilities to consider for forward proxies:

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  Apache An open-source, well-known web server with forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open source server for hosting websites with forward proxy capability.
  
  
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  Squid is an open-source forward proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. It's not the complete web server service. Read our guide on how you can configure Squid proxy so that it allows private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP to allow it to be more suitable for use scenarios such as peer-to -peer traffic. You may also want to know how to set up Dante proxy for private connections using Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is an intermediary for a web server, which handles incoming requests from clients on behalf. The web server could represent one server or several servers. It could also serve as an application server, like Gunicorn. In all these instances, the request for an application comes by a user of the internet. Most of the time the request will be sent directly to the server that hosts the data the user wants. Contrarily reverse proxy acts as an intermediary that helps to protect Web server from any direct interaction with the internet's open.

From the point of view of the user that is a person's perspective, working via reverse proxy is any different from working with Web server directly. It works the same as the web server, and the user is unable to tell the difference. Clients can request the resource and is then provided with it, without any additional configuration on the part of the user.

Reverse proxy proxies provide features such as:

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  Centrally secured to protect Web Server Layer.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic that is incoming according to rules you have set.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
  

Although centralized security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxies provide this feature to their web server layer and not the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at the web server layer that can include multiple servers that have different configurations The majority of the firewall security is aimed on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, the elimination of the responsibility to interact with a firewall and communicating with requests from clients from web servers enables them to concentrate entirely on satisfying the requirements of their customers.

If there are more than one servers that are running via reverse proxy, the reverse proxy could also be accountable for the direction in the requests that are directed to which server. There could be multiple web servers that are serving the same resource, each of them offering a different kind of resource or a mix of the two. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol to serve as a standard web server, but they can include protocols used by applications like FastCGI. You can configure reverse proxy in order redirecting visitors to a particular server according to the type of resource they're searching for, or to adhere to specific rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also utilize their position before web servers by delivering the ability to cache. Large static assets are in a position to be set up using caching rules that prevent them from the web server from being hit on every request. There are solutions that provide the possibility of providing static files directly without connecting with the server on any manner. Furthermore, the reverse proxy will manage the compression of these files.

The well-known Nginx website server a popular reverse proxy option. Although Apache has a reverse proxy service however, the Apache web server is equipped with a reverse proxy function, it is a distinct characteristic of Apache however Nginx was designed originally for and focused on the reverse proxy feature.

The distinction is between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Because "forward" or "reverse" have connotations of directionality, they can also lead to false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic, they can cause confusion since both types of proxy are able to handle requests as well as responses. The best method to distinguish between those proxies that are forward or reverse is to look at the needs of the application you're creating.

A reverse proxy could be helpful when building an approach to connect web-based applications on the internet. They act as your servers when you interact using the internet.

Forward proxy is useful when it is put before the user for private use, or in a workplace setting. They serve as the proxy for your client when you use the internet.

The ability to differentiate by the use of in lieu of looking at the same naming conventions will ensure that you don't get confused.

Conclusion

This article defined what a proxy is along with two types, namely the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of the benefits were utilized to distinguish between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in knowing more about the use of proxy servers, then you must read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as an internet service and reverse proxy within Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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