What is Forward proxy and Reverse proxy? What are major differences between them?

Forward Proxy:
Imagine you're at school, and you want to borrow a book from the library. However, instead of going directly to the library yourself, you ask your friend who's already there to get the book for you. Your friend acts as a "forward proxy" for you. They go to the library on your behalf, borrow the book, and give it to you.

In technical terms, a forward proxy is like a middleman server that sits between you (the client) and the internet. When you request a web page or any other resource, the request first goes to the forward proxy server. The proxy server then forwards the request to the internet on your behalf, receives the response, and sends it back to you.


Reverse Proxy:
Now, imagine you're organizing a surprise birthday party for your friend at your house. You want to keep it a secret, so you ask another friend to stand outside your house and greet guests as they arrive. This friend is your "reverse proxy." They make sure that no one enters the house directly but instead directs them to you inside.

In technical terms, a reverse proxy is a server that sits between the internet and a web server. When someone tries to access a website, the request first goes to the reverse proxy server. The reverse proxy then decides which web server should handle the request, forwards the request to that server, receives the response, and sends it back to the requester.


Major Differences:

1. Direction of Communication:
- Forward proxy: Client communicates with the proxy server, which then communicates with the internet.
- Reverse proxy: Client communicates with the reverse proxy server, which then communicates with the web server.

2. Purpose:
- Forward proxy: Used to access the internet indirectly, often for security and privacy reasons.
- Reverse proxy: Used to improve performance, scalability, and security of web servers by distributing incoming requests and hiding server details.

3. Visibility:
- Forward proxy: Client knows they are using a proxy server.
- Reverse proxy: Client may not be aware that they are interacting with a reverse proxy; it appears as though they are communicating directly with the web server.

So, in simpler terms, a forward proxy acts like a friend who helps you access things on the internet indirectly, while a reverse proxy acts like a guard protecting your house from unwanted guests and directing them to the right place.