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Reverse proxy: Definition and Applications

TL;DR:

Reverse proxy is a proxy server that sits in front of backend servers and handles incoming client requests. Typical duties: SSL termination, load balancing, caching, compression, rate limiting, WAF. Examples: nginx (most popular), HAProxy, Caddy, Traefik, AWS CloudFront.

What is Reverse proxy

Reverse proxy is a proxy server that sits in front of backend servers and handles incoming client requests. Typical duties: SSL termination, load balancing, caching, compression, rate limiting, WAF. Examples: nginx (most popular), HAProxy, Caddy, Traefik, AWS CloudFront.

Benefits of Using a Reverse Proxy

Common Use Cases for Reverse Proxies

Configuring a Reverse Proxy with Nginx

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this apply to my project?

See definition above. Most web projects with traffic > 100 RPS need it.

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