What is a reverse proxy and what is it used for?

If you are planning to launch a large-scale online project or expect high traffic levels, setting up a reverse proxy on your server is a great idea to optimise the performance of your website or app. It lets you distribute the traffic load among multiple backend servers and provides added benefits in terms of security and management.  

This article will explore what a reverse proxy is, how it differs from a regular proxy server, how it works, and its main advantages.   

What is a reverse proxy?  

In simple terms, a reverse proxy serves as an intermediary between clients (such as a web browser) and backend servers. One of its most important functions is forwarding and distributing user requests among the servers hosting applications or websites.  

Imagine your website or mobile app is like a large office building accessible through a single road. Every morning, heavy congestion occurs due to the high number of cars arriving simultaneously. A reverse proxy would function as a traffic controller at an intersection, efficiently directing vehicles (in this case, requests) to different building entrances, ensuring that no single entrance is overloaded.  

Differences between a regular proxy and a reverse proxy  

The main difference between the two is that regular proxies typically act on behalf of the client, while reverse proxies work on behalf of the server.  

When someone on the Internet uses a regular proxy server, it receives the request and forwards it to the destination server. These proxies often hide a user’s real identity or bypass content restrictions, such as geo-blocking. This is why we say that a regular proxy acts on behalf of the user.  

In contrast, a reverse proxy works on behalf of the server. It receives user requests and then directs them to other servers, ensuring that clients do not interact directly with the actual server hosting the website or application.  

What is a reverse proxy used for?  

Reverse proxies are highly useful for improving performance, security, and user experience in large-scale online projects. For this reason, they are often combined with VPS solutions.  

Let’s take a closer look at some of their main functions and benefits.  

Traffic redistribution and load balancing  

A reverse proxy lets you distribute traffic to your website or application across multiple backend servers. This load balancing enhances overall system performance, prevents any single server from becoming overloaded, and optimises response times, resulting in a smoother and faster user experience.  

Additionally, if one server fails, the reverse proxy can redirect traffic to others, preventing temporary site or app outages. This feature is especially crucial if you experience traffic spikes at specific times.  

For example, if you have created an online shop on high-traffic days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, the last thing you want is for your server to crash due to an overload. A reverse proxy is an excellent tool to prevent such issues.  

Increased anonymity and security  

A reverse proxy also acts as a protective barrier to hide your server’s actual infrastructure. This reduces the risk of direct attacks, such as DDoS attacks. 

Additionally, you can configure SSL certificates and blocklists within the reverse proxy to block traffic from suspicious IP addresses.  

Cache storage  

A reverse proxy can also cache content to optimise website or app performance and speed. This means that when a user accesses your site repeatedly, elements such as images, static files (like CSS or JavaScript), and even entire pages load more quickly, improving response times and enhancing the user experience.  

For example, if you have an online shop, a reverse proxy can temporarily store search results or product pages that are often updated, boosting the loading speed of these pages.  

Centralised authentication  

A reverse proxy can also serve as a security gateway for backend servers on restricted-access platforms (e.g., those handling highly sensitive user data). It can be configured to manage user authentication and direct requests to the appropriate servers only after users have been properly verified.  

URL redirection  

Does your website or app have different versions based on region? A reverse proxy can be configured to redirect requests and change the destination URL according to predefined rules, including geographic criteria.  

Traffic monitoring  

A reverse proxy can be very useful for monitoring website traffic and performance by centralising user requests. You can collect information on the number of requests, access frequency for specific pages, and session duration.  

It is also helpful for analysing site performance, such as page response times or resource loading speeds. Additionally, it can log and analyse suspicious requests.  

Nginx reverse proxy for your VPS  

Nginx is one of the most popular web servers due to its powerful reverse proxy service. It is widely used by high-traffic websites, offering proven performance and efficiency in handling multiple simultaneous requests. It is estimated that over 33% of websites use Nginx services.  

All of one.com’s managed VPS plans include Nginx as part of the pre-installed software package.  

Suppose you’re planning to run a more ambitious online project. In that case, combining dedicated VPS resources and Nginx’s reverse proxy capabilities will provide the power and performance to handle high traffic volumes, optimise loading speeds, and ensure a smooth and secure user experience, even during peak demand periods.