Understanding Reverse Proxy with The Social Proxy

A proxy, in its broadest sense, serves as an intermediary server. With a proxy, your requests are not routed directly from your computer to the target webserver. Rather than going directly to the web, they transit through the proxy’s server. As such, they provide an additional layer of security by anonymizing your internet actions.

There are numerous sorts of proxies, and each one offers unique capabilities. A reverse proxy is a form of proxy; nevertheless, what is it, and how does it work?

Defining a Proxy Server

A proxy server is referred to as a forward proxy. This is because it intercepts queries sent by client workstations and forwards them to the web on their behalf. Thus, rather than talking directly with the web, the proxy handles this for you.

Defining a Reverse Proxy

Unlike regular proxies, reverse proxies are utilized on the web server’s side. These servers are used to prevent the client from communicating directly with the webserver. When website owners use reverse proxies, they want to boost their web servers’ security, performance, and reliability.

The Difference Between the Two

On the client’s side, a forward proxy sits between the client and the webserver. It receives the client’s request and forwards it to the target server. This prevents the web server from communicating directly with the client.

On the other hand, a reverse proxy sits between the client and the webserver but intercepting requests to the origin website server on the web server’s side.

As a result, the client does not communicate directly with the primary webserver.

Another distinction between a forward proxy and a reverse proxy is the primary purpose for which they are used. Forward proxies are mostly used to protect the client’s anonymity. This is advantageous when attempting to circumvent geo-blocks or restrictions and when doing web scraping activities. On the other side, a reverse proxy protects the website from hacker attacks by prohibiting direct connection.

Ways to Implement It

It can be implemented in two ways;

One method is to construct your reverse proxy. On the other hand, this solution is capital-heavy, as it would require a significant amount of software and hardware resources.

You might take the simpler route by selecting a reputable reverse proxy service provider. Then, read evaluations from other users to gain firsthand knowledge about the provider’s performance.

Using this strategy, you can ensure the security and dependability of your web servers without incurring additional costs for maintenance and management.