What is a reverse proxy?

Answer

A reverse proxy is a server that sits in front of backend servers and forwards client requests to them, returning the responses as if it were the origin. It commonly handles load balancing, TLS termination, caching, compression, and request routing, hiding the internal topology from clients. This contrasts with a forward proxy, which acts on behalf of clients reaching out to the internet. Popular reverse proxies include NGINX, HAProxy, and Envoy, and an API gateway is a specialized reverse proxy focused on API concerns.