A forward proxy is an Internet-facing proxy used to retrieve data from a wide range of sources (in most cases anywhere on the Internet). A proxy server that passes unmodified requests and responses is usually called a gateway or sometimes a tunneling proxy.

A proxy server thus functions on behalf of the client when requesting service, potentially masking the true origin of the request to the resource server.Ī proxy server may reside on the user's local computer, or at any point between the user's computer and destination servers on the Internet. Proxies were devised to add structure and encapsulation to distributed systems. This serves as a method to simplify or control the complexity of the request, or provide additional benefits such as load balancing, privacy, or security. Instead of connecting directly to a server that can fulfill a request for a resource, such as a file or web page, the client directs the request to the proxy server, which evaluates the request and performs the required network transactions. In computer networking, a proxy server is a server application that acts as an intermediary between a client requesting a resource and the server providing that resource. This can protect Alice's privacy, as Bob only knows about the proxy and cannot identify or contact Alice directly. Communication between two computers connected through a third computer acting as a proxy server.

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