Proxy server

A Proxy Server is an intermediate program or computer used when navigating through different networks of the Internet.

It facilitates access to content on the World Wide Web. It intercepts requests and serves back responses, it may forward the requests, or not (for example in the case of a cache), and it may modify it (for example changing its headers).

A proxy can be on the user's local computer, or anywhere between the user's computer and destination server.

Forward Proxy

Handles requests from and ot anwhere on the Internet.

Reverse Proxy

Taking requests from the Internet and forwarding them to servers in an internal network.