The diagram below shows the differences between a forward proxy and a reverse proxy.

Forward proxy

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

A forward proxy is commonly used for:

• Protect clients
• Avoid browsing restrictions
• Block access to certain content

Reverse proxy

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:

• Protect servers
• Load balancing
• Cache static contents
• Encrypt and decrypt SSL communications