Forward Proxy vs Reverse Proxy

• A forward proxy is a server that sits between user devices and the internet.

A forward proxy is commonly used for:

1. Protect clients

2. Avoid browsing restrictions

3. Block access to certain content

• A reverse proxy is a server that accepts a request from the client, forwards the request to web servers, and returns the results to the client as if the proxy server had processed the request.

A reverse proxy is good for:

1. Protect servers

2. Load balancing

3. Cache static contents

4. Encrypt and decrypt SSL communications