What is a reverse proxy?

A reverse proxy is a type of proxy server that sits between a client and a server, but it is used to manage traffic going in the opposite direction of a traditional forward proxy. In a forward proxy, the client sends requests to the proxy server, which then forwards them to the destination server. However, in a reverse proxy, the client sends requests to the destination server, but the requests are intercepted by the reverse proxy before they reach the server.

• They're commonly used to improve web server performance, provide high availability and fault tolerance, and enhance security by preventing direct access to the back-end server. They are often used in large-scale web applications and high-traffic websites to manage and distribute requests to multiple servers, resulting in improved scalability and reliability.