A proxy, also known as a proxy, also known as a proxy server is also known as a proxy server, is software which functions as mediator between a client and server over the internet. Without a proxy, a client would make a request resources directly to a server and it would deliver the requested resource directly to the user. While this procedure is easy to comprehend and implement using proxy services, it may provide benefits in the form of improved performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As an additional layer of protection proxy functions as a guardian to the internet between servers and clients.




The general combination of server hardware and proxy software is generally called a proxy server. In this post, we'll focus on proxy servers which are usually described as software, as well as within the context of web servers. We will provide a description of the two major kinds of proxy servers: the forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each has its own use case, often confused due to a similar the name convention.




This article will give you an understanding of different types of proxy and what their subtypes, and their importance in common setups. By reading this article, you'll know how to recognize the situations that a good proxy could be useful and pick the right alternative between forward and reverse proxy, based on the circumstances.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy also known as an open proxy serves as an intermediary for clients who are trying to transmit a request over the internet to an source server. In this case every request made by the client will instead be routed directly via forward-proxy. A forward proxy, acting in the place of the client will scrutinize the request. First, it will determine whether the client is allowed to receive requests from this specific forward proxy. It will then deny any request, or redirect it to the original server. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It has access to only what the forward proxy allows the client access.




One of the most common uses for forward proxies is to gain greater privacy and security when surfing the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as a client and in this process, it uses an alternative IP address to the client's original IP address.




Based on the way it is configured based on how it is configured, forward proxy may offer a range of features depending on the way it's configured, which allows users to:




Beware of ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine limitations based on your geographic place of residence.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that offer central security as well as access to users based on permissions, for instance at an office. Internet traffic can go through an open forward proxy, administrators can limit access to specific users to the internet, which is protected by an common firewall. Instead of having firewalls for the client layer which can include multiple devices that have different configurations and users it is possible to have a firewall at the front proxy layer.




Take note that forward proxy settings need to be manually configured for be used, however reverse proxies will be not considered in the eyes of the user. Based on the fact that an IP address belonging to the user is passed to the server where it came from by the forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or hidden.




There are a myriad of choices to be considered for forward proxy options:




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


Nginx: Another widely used open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It's not the complete web server. Read our tutorial on how to install Squid proxy to connect privately within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward-looking proxy, which utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it more to handle peer-to-peer connections. You may also want to examine how you can set up Dante proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy is the web server that handles the incoming requests of customers on behalf of. The web server could represent a single or multiple servers. It may additionally be an app server, such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios, an application request comes through the internet. In most cases the request will be directed directly to the web server, which will provide the information the client is requesting. In contrast, a reverse proxy functions as an intermediary that isolates your server from interaction with the open internet.




From the point of view of the individual client's viewpoint, the process of using reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to a Web server through direct communication. It's the same process however the client can't tell the distinction. The client makes a request for the resource, which is followed by receiving it without the need for any additional configuration needed for the user.




Reverse proxies provide features such as:




A centralized layer of security to protect the server.


The direction of traffic coming in is based on the rules you decide to define.


New functionality added for caching.




Although centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies do this for just the layer of web servers but not to the client layer. instead of being focused on upkeep of firewalls on the web server layer, which could contain multiple servers with different configurations, the majority of the firewall security is targeted towards the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of communicating with firewalls and communicating with clients who are far from web servers permits them to focus on serving the requirements of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers that are connected via reverse proxy reverse proxy also is responsible to direct which requests will go through which server. There may be several web servers providing the same content, each offering different kinds of services or a mixture of both. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol, which is a typical web server, but they can also incorporate other protocols used by application servers, such as FastCGI. It is also possible to set up reverse proxy servers to redirect visitors to specific server depending on the resource requested, or to follow specific guidelines for the amount of traffic.




Reverse proxies also take advantage of their position over web servers by giving them the ability to store information. Massive static resources can be configured with caching policy to avoid hitting web servers on every request. Certain solutions allow you to serve static content directly without connecting to servers on the internet in any manner. In addition reverse proxy solutions can help compress these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy option. However, similar functionality in the Apache web server does have a reverse proxy features as an added feature that is available for Apache while Nginx was designed originally for and is focused on reverse proxy functionality.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Usage Situations



Because "forward" along with "reverse" have connotations of directionality, as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic These labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxies process requests and responses. The best method to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy is to study the requirements of the app that you're building.




A reverse proxy could be helpful when building an application that can serve web applications online. They act as your web servers whenever you connect to the internet.




Forward proxy can be helpful when displayed in front of customers to facilitate your own usage or even in a corporate environment. They are a representation of your customer's traffic when they interact on the internet.




The use of case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the commonly used naming conventions can help in eliminating confusion.



Conclusion



The article clarified the meaning of a proxy is and the two primary types: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the attributes that are beneficial were used to determine forward proxies as well as reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning more about implementation of proxies You can read our guide on how to configure Nginx as a reverse proxy and web server proxy for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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