Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy are two different proxy server configurations that have significant differences in how they work and how they are used.

What are Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy (Principle and Application Scenarios)

Forward Proxy:

A client sends a request to a proxy server and the proxy server communicates with the target server on behalf of the client.

The proxy server hides the real identity and location of the client, and the target server can only see the IP address of the proxy server.

The client accesses external resources by configuring the proxy server, which can bypass access restrictions, provide caching and performance optimization, and increase access security.

Common application scenarios for forward proxies include: bypassing network restrictions, protecting client privacy, providing caching and optimization, and enforcing access control.

Reverse Proxy:

The working principle of reverse proxy is that the proxy server accepts the client's network access connection request, and then the server forwards the request strategically to the actual working business servers in the network, and returns the result processed from the business servers to the client who initiated the connection request on the network.

The reverse proxy hides the real identity and location of the target server, and the client can only see the IP address of the reverse proxy.

Common application scenarios for reverse proxies include: load balancing, high availability, caching and acceleration, security filtering and protection. It provides reliable request distribution, protects internal servers, optimizes performance, and increases security.

Reverse proxies are commonly used in web application deployments to distribute client requests to multiple internal servers for load balancing and high availability.

Forward proxy is a proxy configuration that sends requests to a target server on behalf of a client, hiding the client's identity and location. It communicates with external resources on behalf of the client and is commonly used to bypass access restrictions, protect privacy, and provide caching and security. A reverse proxy is a proxy configuration that receives client requests on behalf of a target server and forwards the requests to an internal server. It hides the identity and location of the target server and is commonly used for load balancing, high availability, caching, and security. There is a clear difference between the two in terms of proxy direction, hidden objects, and application scenarios.