A proxy, also known as a proxy also referred to a proxy server, is a software that acts as a mediator between client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, a client will send a request directly to a server and it would deliver the requested resource directly to the user. Although this is a simple process to comprehend and implement with proxy servers, it could offer benefits in terms of increased performance, privacy, security, and much more. As an additional layer of pass-through proxy, it acts as a guardian to the internet between servers and users.




The general bundle of server hardware and proxy software is often referred to as proxy servers. In this article, we'll focus on proxy servers which are usually defined as software, and in the context of web servers. You will get a breakdown of the two main types of proxy servers: a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each kind has its own usage scenario, which is often misunderstood due to a similar the namesake convention.




This article will give you an idea of the types of proxy services and what their subtypes are as well as their significance in common setups. After reading this post, you'll be able to understand how to recognize the situations where a reliable proxy can be beneficial, and choose the correct option between reverse and forward proxy based on the situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy also known as an open proxy, also known as an open acts as an intermediary between a client that is trying to send a request via the internet to a source server. In this scenario, every request made by the user will be routed direct via forward-proxy. A forward proxy in the place of the client will review the request. First, it will determine whether the client is allowed to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. It will then reject any request, or redirect it to the server that originally received it. The client does not have connection to any internet. It is able to access only what the forward proxy allows its access.




The most frequent reasons for forward proxy is to improve privacy or security when using the internet. Forward proxy makes use of the internet as the client and in this process, it uses an alternate IP address in addition to the original IP address of the client.




Based on how it has been configured depending on the way it's configured, forward proxy may offer various features based on how it is configured, which allows you to:




Beware of ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine restrictions based upon your geographical area.




Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide central security and permission-based access, like at a workplace. The entire internet can be passed through an open forward proxy. administrators are able to restrict access to only certain clients to the internet that is protected by a standard firewall. Instead of having firewalls on the client layer, which could include multiple machines with various configurations and users, there is the option to set up an firewall that is located in the layer that forwards proxy traffic.




Be aware to note that settings for forward proxy should be manually configured for be used, however reverse proxies will be disregarded in the eyes of the user. Based on the fact that an IP address belonging to the user is passed to the server from which it originated by the forward proxy, privacy and security may be granted or kept in the dark.




There are a myriad of alternatives to think about when it comes to forward proxy options:




Apache is a well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another well-known open-source web hosting server that has forward proxy features.


Squid: An open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire web server. Read our guide on how you can install Squid proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is an forward proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it more suited for cases like peer-to-peer connections. It is also possible to look at how you can create a Dante proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy is the web server which handles the incoming requests of customers on its behalf. The web server can be a single, or a number of servers. It may additionally be an app server, such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios, an application request is made by a user on the internet. Most of the time requests are sent directly to the web server along with the information that the user is seeking. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, and separates your web server from contact with the open internet.




From the viewpoint of the client an individual's viewpoint, the process of using reverse proxy isn't any different than connecting to a Web server through direct communication. It's the same process however the client can't tell the difference. The client requests the resource, which is then followed by the receipt, without any extra configuration required by the user.




Reverse proxies provide features such as:




A centralized layer of security to protect the server.


Incoming traffic is directed based on the rules you decide to define.


New feature added to caching.




Although centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxy adds this function to only the server layer, but not the client layer. Instead of focusing on the maintenance of firewalls at the web server layer that could contain multiple servers with different configurations, the majority of the firewall security is aimed on the reverse proxy level. Furthermore, the elimination of the responsibility of interacting with firewalls as well as communicating with requests from clients far from web servers permits them to focus on meeting the requirements of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers that are connected via reverse proxy reverse proxy is also responsible to direct which requests go via which server. There may be several web servers offering the same content, each providing different types of services, or a mix of the two. These servers may be using the HTTP protocol that is a standard web server, however they could incorporate other protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can also set up a reverse proxy to direct users to a specific server based on the requested resource or to adhere to specific guidelines on the volume of traffic.




Reverse proxies may also take advantage of their location on top of web servers, as they have the ability to store information. Large static assets can be configured with caching policy to avoid hitting web servers on every request. Certain applications allow users to serve static content directly without contacting servers on the internet in any manner. Additionally the reverse proxy is able to manage compressing these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server also functions as a popular reverse proxy solution. However, a similar feature within the Apache web server, it does include reverse proxy capabilities as an additional feature that is available for Apache whereas Nginx was initially designed to and is focused on the reverse proxy feature.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Cases



Since "forward" along with "reverse" conveys the notion of directionality, and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic The labels can be confusing since both types of proxy servers process requests and responses. The best method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy is to study the specifications of the application that you're building.




A reverse proxy can be helpful when building an application that can serve applications that are via the internet. They represent your web servers whenever you connect to the internet.




Forward proxy can be helpful when displayed in front of customers for your personal use, or even in a business setting. They represent your client traffic through any interaction with the internet.




A case-based distinction instead of focusing on standard naming conventions could help in eliminating confusion.



Conclusion



In this article, we explained what aproxy is, and compared it to the two most common kinds that are forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a discussion of the attributes that are beneficial were used to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're interested to learn more about implementation of proxies, you can check out our guide on how to configure Nginx as reverse and web server proxy for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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