Forem: Raghul-M

Understanding Reverse Proxy and Forward Proxy — The Simple Way

Raghul-M — Sun, 11 May 2025 09:39:20 +0000

When we browse the internet, a lot happens behind the scenes. One such hidden hero is the proxy. Whether it’s keeping your identity safe, speeding things up, or managing requests, proxies silently work in the background to make your online experience smoother. Let's break it all down.

What Is a Proxy?

A proxy is like a middleman between you and the internet. Instead of directly connecting to a website, your request first goes to a proxy server. That server then talks to the website on your behalf.

Imagine you’re at a party and want to ask someone a question, but instead of going directly, you ask your friend to pass the message. Your friend is the proxy.

✅ Why Use a Proxy?

There are many reasons to use a proxy:

To hide your identity (IP address)
To filter content (like blocking social media at work)
To speed up browsing using cached content
To add a layer of security and control over traffic

📌 Now, proxies come in two main flavors: Reverse Proxy and Forward Proxy. Let’s explore both.

What Is a Reverse Proxy?

A Reverse Proxy sits in front of one or more servers and handles requests from clients (like users) to those servers.

Think of it like a receptionist in an office. When visitors come in (users), the receptionist decides which employee (server) should handle the request.

✅ Why Use a Reverse Proxy?

Load Balancing – It distributes traffic to different servers to avoid overload.
Security – It hides the internal structure of your servers from outsiders.
Caching – It can store frequent responses and send them faster.
SSL Termination – It handles HTTPS encryption, reducing work on backend servers.

What Is a Forward Proxy?

A Forward Proxy sits in front of the client (user) and makes requests to websites on the user’s behalf.

Imagine you're in a country where a website is blocked. You tell your friend in another country to access it and send it to you. That friend is acting as your forward proxy.

✅ Why Use a Forward Proxy?

Bypass restrictions – Like accessing blocked websites.
Hide your IP address – Helps with anonymity.
Content filtering – Schools and offices use it to block certain sites.
Monitoring – Organizations track employee usage.

Differences Between Forward and Reverse Proxy

Feature Forward Proxy Reverse Proxy
Who uses it? The client (user) The server side
Purpose Access control & privacy for users Load balancing, caching & security
Hides identity of The user The server
Example Use Case Accessing a blocked website Managing multiple backend servers

Why Are Proxies Important? (In DevOps)

In DevOps, proxies are crucial for:

Security – Hide backend servers and control access.
Load Balancing – Distribute traffic across services.
Performance – Cache content to speed up responses.
Build Control – Restrict internet access in CI/CD.
Microservices – Enable smooth, secure communication.

Conclusion

Proxies aren’t just networking tools — they’re a core part of modern DevOps. From security to scalability, proxies help teams build reliable and efficient systems.

✅ Forward Proxy: Acts on behalf of the client (user). It hides the client’s identity from the server.

✅ Reverse Proxy: Acts on behalf of the server. It hides the server’s identity from the client.

In the next post, we'll explore hands-on proxy setups and real-world use cases using NGINX. Stay tuned!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Raghul M

Open Source 101: A Developer's Blueprint for Getting Started

Raghul-M — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 06:34:57 +0000

Welcome to the exciting world of open-source development! Whether you're a seasoned coder or a programming enthusiast looking to dive into collaborative coding, this guide is your comprehensive blueprint to kickstart your journey.

What is Opensource ?

Imagine software as a recipe for a dish. When a chef creates a recipe, they write it in a way other chefs can follow to make the same dish. Now, think of open source as sharing that recipe with everyone.
In the world of computers, the software is like a recipe that tells the computer how to do specific tasks. With open source, the software's creators share the instructions (called source code) with everyone. This means anyone can see how the software works, change it to fit their needs, and even share their version with others.
So, instead of keeping the recipe a secret, open source lets everyone be part of the cooking process. It's like a big kitchen where chefs (developers) work together, share ideas, and make the recipe better for everyone. This way, the software becomes a collaborative effort, benefiting from the skills and creativity of many people. Examples of open-source software are popular recipes that chefs worldwide contribute to and improve over time.

OSS - Open Source Software

Open Source Software refers to software whose source code is available to the public. Users can view, modify, and distribute the code, fostering collaboration and transparency.

Examples of OSS: Linux, Firefox, Python, GIMP, LibreOffice etc...

CSS - Closed Source Software

Closed Source Software refers to proprietary software whose source code is not distributed to the public. It is considered proprietary, entrusted, and exclusive, with restrictions on access

Examples of CSS: Microsoft Windows, Adobe Photoshop, etc...

What is Github?

GitHub is a leading platform for open-source development, facilitating global collaboration on diverse projects. Using Git for version control, enables easy forking, modification, and merging of code.
With a user-friendly interface and features like issue tracking and pull requests, GitHub streamlines collaborative development, promoting transparency and community engagement.
Developers leverage GitHub to share, collaborate, and benefit from the collective expertise of the open-source community, fostering innovation in software projects.

Repository :

A Repository is a data structure for storing Documents and application source code. a repository can track and maintain version control

A repository, or "repo" is a central storage for code and files, facilitating collaboration and version control in software development.
Platforms like GitHub offer tools to host and manage repositories, enhancing teamwork and tracking changes in projects.

Basic Terminologies in Opensource:

Source Code: Human-readable instructions written by programmers to create software.
Repository: Storage space for project files, hosted on platforms like GitHub.
Version Control: System for tracking changes in source code over time, often using Git.
Fork: Creating a personal copy of a project for independent modification.
Pull Request (PR): Proposal to integrate changes from a fork into the original project.
Issue: Discussion space for tasks, bug reports, and feature requests in a project.
Merge: Combining changes from one branch or fork into another.
Commit: Set of changes made to the source code, acting like a snapshot.
Branch: Separate line of development within a repository.
License: Legal terms specifying how software can be used, modified, and distributed.
Community: Group of developers, contributors, and users engaged in an open-source project.
Contributor: Individual contributing to an open-source project through code, reports, or assistance.
Maintainer: Person or group overseeing and managing an open source project.
README: File providing essential information about a project, including usage instructions.
Code of Conduct: Guidelines on acceptable behavior.
Contributing Guidelines: describe how to contribute and collaborate.
Upstream: Forms the Foundation of the source.
Downstream: Programmers working stream.

Ways to Contribute

Code
Documentation
Advocacy(write blogs, share on social media, talks or workshops)
Community

How to start Contributing:

Search and Work on First good First issues label in issues.

Some websites for finding issues:
https://up-for-grabs.net/
https://goodfirstissues.com/
https://goodfirstissue.dev/
https://www.codetriage.com/

Attend regular meetings in the Community
Join sprints
Participate in a code Program.

Getting Started as a Newbie:

Watch this tutorial from eddiehub to get started on open source: here
Join eddiehub community on open source here

EddieHub is an open-source organization focusing on reciprocal collaboration between members of the tech community; to encourage and promote communication, best practices, and technical expertise in an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Why Developers Should Contribute to Open Source, regardless of Experience?

Skill Enhancement: Contributing to open-source projects provides developers, regardless of experience, with an opportunity to enhance their skills. It allows them to work on real-world projects, learn from experienced developers, and gain hands-on experience with different technologies and coding practices.

Community Engagement: Open-source contributions enable developers to engage with a global community of like-minded individuals. This collaborative environment fosters networking, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to diverse perspectives, ultimately enriching a developer's professional growth and expanding their network in the tech industry.

Conclusion:

Embarking on the journey of open source is an invitation to a world of collaboration, innovation, and community-driven development. By understanding the fundamental terminology and concepts, you've taken the first step toward contributing and learning in this dynamic environment.

Connect with me on:

Linkedin - Raghul M
Github - Raghul-M
Portfolio - raghul-m.github.io

Hosting a Portfolio Website in Azure Cloud with Custom Domain(Free)👨‍💻.

Raghul-M — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 18:53:22 +0000

We are going to Host a Static Website in Azure Cloud with CI/CD using Github Actions and Custom Domain.

So, Basically What is Cloud Computing?

Definition of Cloud Computing According to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology-US)

A Model that enable ubiquitious (everywhere) and convenient on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources for eg :(networks,storage,applications and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or cloud service provider interaction.

In Layman Term

The cloud is the delivery of on-demand computing resources , everything from application to data centers over the internet on a pay for what you use basis
On Demand Services are:

Networks
Servers
Storage
Applications and Servers

What is Azure Cloud??

Microsoft Azure, formerly known as Windows Azure, is Microsoft's public cloud computing platform. It provides a range of cloud services, including compute, analytics, storage and networking.The Azure cloud platform is with more than 200 products and cloud services designed to help you bring new solutions to life—to solve today’s challenges and create the future. Build, run and manage applications across multiple clouds, on-premises and at the edge, with the tools and frameworks of your choice.

So,Lets get Started with Our Project:

Prerequisites :
1.Github Account
2.Azure Account
3.Source Code for your Portfolio website 💻
4.Custom Domain (Tip: Free Domain)

Step 1 : Github Account & Source Code

GitHub is a web-based version-control and collaboration platform for software developers.Owned by Microsoft.

Create a Free Github Account Click here

Afterwards :
1.Create a New Repository 
2.Upload your Portfolio website sourcecode in the repo

Example :

Step 2 : Azure Account

Azure is a public cloud owned by Microsoft,Azure Account comes with 200$ credits for first month and 40+ free for life time.

Students : Click here (Credit card Not Required)
Others : Click here (Credit card Required)

Step 3 : Free Custom Domain

Once you Create a free azure account you're eligible for 25+ free domain

For free Custom domain Click Here

Step 4 : Lets Start the Project

Follow this Link to step by step walkthrough of the project and it's documentation :

Project Documentation :Github Repo
live demo : raghulm.me

Conclusion

the best way to gain knowledge is to make your hands dirty. try new stuff and play with services in the cloud. Side Projects are the best way to gain Experience.

Thanks for reading this post, Give your Valuable Feedback

Connect with me on :

Twitter : @RaghulM01
portfolio : raghul-m.github.io
In Collaboration with @td_user