It is an proxy is also referred to proxy server, which is a software that sits in the middle between client and server over the internet. Without proxy, a user would make a request an item directly to the server and it would then serve that resource to its user directly. While this approach is straightforward to grasp and implement, adding proxies offers advantages in the form of greater performance as well as privacy, security and many more. As an additional layer for moving between, it functions as a gatekeeper for the internet between clients and servers.

The general consensus is that the combination of server hardware with the software that is installed to make proxy connections is commonly called proxy servers. For this post, we will focus on proxies typically described as software, as well as those employed in conjunction with web servers. This article will give a detailed breakdown of two kinds of proxies: that is one that is a forward proxy and one called a reverse proxy. Each comes with its own specific use case, often confused because of the same name convention.

This article will give you some knowledge about what proxy services are, and subtypes they have, and what ways in which they can be beneficial for common setups. By reading this article, you'll be able to determine the situations where a proxy can be beneficial, and decide on the best forward proxy or reverse proxy in any given situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy, also known by the name of the open proxy is the representative of a user who is trying to send a request through the internet to an source server. In this situation it is the scenario that all requests made by the client will rather be directed to through the forward proxy. In this situation, the forward proxy in place of the client will scrutinize the request. It will first will determine if the client is allowed to transmit requests through this particular forward proxy. It will then decide whether to deny this request as well as forward it to the original server. It's not able direct connection to the internet. It can only access what forward proxy permits the forward proxy to connect.

A common reason for using forward proxies is to gain more privacy or security online. A forward proxy connects to the internet as a personal client. In this manner, it may use another IP address in contrast to the IP address used by the client.

Based on the way it was set up in the past forward proxy servers may give you a variety of options, allowing you to:

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  Stay clear of tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Establish restrictions based on the place of residence.
  
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Forward proxies can also be used in systems that offer central security and permit-based access, for example, in a workplace. If all internet traffic is routed by an open forward proxy an administrator is able to permit only a small number of clients access to the internet that is blocked by a standard firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls for the client layer that can include multiple machines with different user and environment the firewall can be placed on the layer that redirects traffic from proxy servers.

Remember that forward proxies have to be set up manually prior to use, whereas reverse proxy can be disregarded by clients. Depending on whether clients' IP addresses are transmitted to the origin server via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity could get granted, or even made transparent.

There are many choices to think about for forward proxies:

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  Apache An open source, well-known web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx A renowned open-source webserver with forward proxy functionality.
  
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  Squid is an open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include an entire web server service. Check out our article on the most efficient method to set up Squid proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante forward proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more suitable for use scenarios like peer-to -peer traffic. It is also possible to know how to set up the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy acts as a representative of a web server that handles incoming requests from customers on behalf of. Web servers can represent a single or multiple servers. Additionally, it could serve as an app server, like Gunicorn. Any of the above cases, the request may come via a user on the web at large. Most of the time the request will be delivered directly to the server with the resources that the user wants. The reverse proxy is a intermediary to isolate your website server from any interaction with the internet.

From the perspective of a customer from a client's perspective using a reverse proxy isn't any different from communicating directly with your webserver directly. It's basically the same, and the client is unable to tell the difference. Client requests resources, that is then followed by receiving it, without any extra configuration required by the end-user.

Reverse proxy proxies may offer options, such as:

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  Secured centrally to protect Web Server Layer.
  
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  Sending traffic to be directed according to rules that you set up.
  
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  Additional functionality to cache data.
  
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While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy service, reverse proxies give this benefit to only the server layer, not to the client layer. Instead of the maintenance of firewalls on the web server layer which may include multiple servers that have different configurations, the majority of firewall security resides in the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, getting rid of the necessity of interacting with firewalls and communicating with requests from clients who aren't connected to web servers allows the firewall to concentrate on serving the needs of their clients.

If there are multiple servers connected to a reverse proxy the reverse proxy also takes care of the way requests are handled on which server. There could be multiple web servers operating from the exact same computer, serving different kinds of resources or a mix of both. These servers can use the HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server. They may also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy that directs users to specific servers according to the type of resource they are searching for, or follow certain rules to manage traffic load.

Reverse proxies also profit from their positioning before web servers by delivering the ability to cache. Large static assets can be configured with caching policies to avoid having to connect to web servers with each request, with certain services providing the option to serve static files directly without needing to connect to the internet server at all. Furthermore reverse proxy is able to be able to handle compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx web server is an acknowledged reverse proxy feature. While you can use Nginx, the Apache web server is also equipped with reverse proxy feature it's a distinct feature available only for Apache and Nginx was initially designed for and was designed to perform reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward and reverse proxy Utilizing Differentiation of Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use

Since "forward" or "reverse" have connotations of directionality and false distinctions between "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels are confusing because both kinds of proxy are able to manage requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies is to examine the requirements of the app that you are creating.

A reverse proxy could be helpful in the development of a system to deliver web-based applications over the internet. They function as servers during any interaction with the internet.

Forward proxy are beneficial when they are used by the client for your personal use, or in a work environment. They are a representation of your traffic whenever you use the internet.

A distinction based on usage cases instead of focusing exclusively on similar naming conventions can help you avoid confusion.

Conclusion

This article explains the definition of a proxy that includes two main kinds of proxy: the forward one and reverse proxy. Practical scenarios for application and a review of the useful features were utilized to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about the possibilities of proxy services, then take a look at our guide on how to configure Nginx as reverse proxy and web server proxy for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.