{"id":79434,"date":"2026-09-12T20:38:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T20:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/?post_type=encyclopedia&#038;p=79434"},"modified":"2026-09-14T10:52:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T10:52:26","slug":"proxy","status":"publish","type":"encyclopedia","link":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/proxy","title":{"rendered":"Proxy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/proxy-square.png\" alt=\"Proxy\" class=\"boxpad alignright\" style=\"margin-top:0\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><strong>Definition:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A <strong>proxy<\/strong> is a server or software that acts as an intermediary in communication between a client and another server. It receives requests and handles them on behalf of one of the parties, forwarding them, responding from a stored copy or applying access rules.<\/p>\n<p>It can be used to control connections, distribute requests across servers or cache content. Its function depends on where it sits and how it is configured: using a proxy does not necessarily mean encrypting communication or browsing anonymously.<\/p>\n\n<h2>How a proxy works<\/h2>\n<p>In a direct connection, an application requests a resource from the destination server. When a proxy is involved, the request first passes through this intermediary, which decides how to handle it.<\/p>\n<p>The proxy can forward the request and return the response, block it under an access rule or serve a valid copy of content it has already stored. Not every installation provides all these functions.<\/p>\n<p>The configuration also determines which communications pass through it. A browser can use a proxy while other applications on the same device connect directly.<\/p>\n<h2>Forward proxy and reverse proxy<\/h2>\n<p>The main difference is which side of the communication the intermediary represents.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>forward proxy<\/strong> acts on behalf of the client. It can manage connections for an organisation&#8217;s users, apply access restrictions or centralise outbound access to the internet.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>reverse proxy<\/strong> sits in front of one or more servers. It receives requests intended for a website or application and directs them to the appropriate server. Visitors do not need to configure a proxy in their browsers to use that site.<\/p>\n<p>A forward proxy therefore manages requests leaving clients, while a reverse proxy handles those arriving at a service.<\/p>\n<h2>What a proxy is used for<\/h2>\n<p>Depending on its position and configuration, a proxy can fulfil different functions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Access control:<\/strong> allow or block connections according to an organisation&#8217;s rules.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Caching:<\/strong> reuse responses that remain valid to reduce repeated requests and delivery times.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Load balancing:<\/strong> distribute requests across several servers running an application.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Encrypted connection management:<\/strong> receive HTTPS connections and establish communication with internal servers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Logging and diagnostics:<\/strong> collect operational information to investigate errors or problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These functions require appropriate configuration. For example, a cache must distinguish reusable content from personalised responses that must not be shared between users.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens to the IP address and encryption<\/h2>\n<p>The destination server may receive the connection from the proxy&#8217;s IP address. However, some proxies also transmit information about the original client through headers such as <code>Forwarded<\/code> or <code>X-Forwarded-For<\/code>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Changing the IP address from which the connection is received does not guarantee anonymity.<\/strong> The intermediary may keep logs, and the website can identify the user through their account, cookies or other mechanisms.<\/p>\n<p>Encryption is a separate matter. A proxy can carry an HTTPS connection through a tunnel without decrypting its content. In other configurations, such as a reverse proxy that terminates HTTPS, it receives and decrypts the connection before communicating with the internal server.<\/p>\n<p>It is therefore useful to distinguish the segment between client and proxy from the segment between proxy and server: they do not necessarily use the same protection.<\/p>\n<h2>Difference between a proxy and a VPN<\/h2>\n<p>A proxy usually handles communications for particular applications or protocols. A <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/vpn\">VPN<\/a><\/strong> establishes a network connection that can carry traffic from several applications or connect entire networks, depending on its configuration.<\/p>\n<p>Remote-access and browsing VPNs use an encrypted tunnel between their endpoints. The term proxy, by itself, guarantees neither that encryption nor that all traffic from the device passes through the intermediary.<\/p>\n<p>The choice depends on the need. Distributing requests to a web application may require a reverse proxy; connecting a computer to an organisation&#8217;s private network may require a VPN. They are not two names for the same technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What a proxy is and how it works. Forward and reverse proxies, caching, encryption and differences from a VPN.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":79441,"template":"","encyclopedia-tag":[1405,1098],"class_list":["post-79434","encyclopedia","type-encyclopedia","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","encyclopedia-tag-network-access","encyclopedia-tag-private-browsing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia\/79434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/encyclopedia"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"encyclopedia-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia-tag?post=79434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}