Forward Proxy VS Reverse Proxy

Forward Proxy

Introduction

• A client proxy, also known as a forward proxy or simply a proxy, is a server that acts on behalf of client devices (e.g., computers, smartphones) to make requests to destination servers (e.g., web servers, external services).
• It sits between client devices and the internet, forwarding client requests to destination servers.

Use cases:

• Enhancing privacy
• Access control and content filtering
• Monitor web activity
• Log client's requests/response

Tools:

• Squid
• Privoxy
• VPN services

Reverse Proxy

Introduction

• A server proxy, also known as a reverse proxy, is a server that sits between internet and destination servers (e.g., web servers, external services) to handle incoming requests on behalf of those destination servers.
• It forwards client requests to the appropriate destination server based on predefined routing rules.

Use cases:

• Load Balancing
• Web Application Firewall (WAF)
• Protection from DDoS attacks
• Cache frequently accessed data
• SSL encryption/decryption

Tools:

• Nginx
• Apache HTTP Server (when configured as a reverse proxy)
• HAProxy
• CDN (Content Delivery Network) services

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