Reverse proxy
A reverse proxy is a server-side intermediary that receives client requests, forwards them to backend servers or services, and relays their responses to clients.
ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e
A reverse proxy is a server that receives client requests and forwards them to backend applications or services on the clients' behalf.
- How it is used
- Positions a public-facing server between internet clients and an ASP.NET Core app during deployment.
- How deep it goes
- Defines request forwarding and works through hosting benefits and forwarded headers, but stops short of exhaustive IIS or Linux proxy configuration.
- Examples
- Uses IIS deployment, NGINX and Apache alternatives, and a ForwardedHeadersMiddleware configuration listing.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it by choosing a proxy arrangement and configuring an ASP.NET Core app to interpret forwarded request headers.
Read how ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e explains reverse proxy →
Learn Docker in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition
A reverse proxy is a server or service that receives client requests and forwards them to backend applications or services, often selecting a destination based on request attributes.
- How it is used
- Routes incoming HTTP traffic to multiple internal containerized applications through one gateway on standard ports.
- How deep it goes
- Works through nginx routing, HTTPS, load balancing, caching, and Traefik labels; stops short of nginx’s further compression and client-cache features.
- Examples
- Uses nginx site configurations, Traefik container labels, an image-gallery API, and a pi-calculation caching lab.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it with nginx or Traefik to route container traffic and test caching, HTTPS, or load balancing.
Read how Learn Docker in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition explains reverse proxy →
Kubernetes in Action, Second Edition
A reverse proxy is a server-side intermediary that receives client requests and forwards them to backend applications or services.
- How it is used
- Routes incoming external traffic to backend applications, often providing HTTPS or application-layer load balancing.
- How deep it goes
- Explains request routing, controller configuration, sidecar placement, and TLS termination, but not proxy implementation internals.
- Examples
- Uses Envoy sidecars, Kubernetes Ingress objects, TLS Secrets, wildcard certificates, and kiada, quote, and quiz services.
- What you can do after
- Configure HTTPS and external request routing through an Ingress reverse proxy without modifying backend application code.
Read how Kubernetes in Action, Second Edition explains reverse proxy →
Secure APIs
A reverse proxy receives client requests and forwards them to backend servers on the clients' behalf.
- How it is used
- Places reverse proxies at the internet boundary to channel inbound requests toward protected API services.
- How deep it goes
- Explains the network role and placement but stops short of implementation-specific proxy configuration.
- Examples
- Uses a DMZ request path that forwards traffic to private APIs while withholding internal and development endpoints.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure inbound paths by placing reverse proxies in a DMZ and keeping backend services in private subnets.
Road to Kubernetes
A reverse proxy is a network intermediary that accepts client requests and forwards them to one or more backend servers or applications.
- How it is used
- Routes public web traffic to background Python and Node.js applications during manual virtual-machine deployment.
- How deep it goes
- Explains forwarding, URL locations, site enablement, default removal, and restart, while deferring advanced load-balancing details.
- Examples
- Uses NGINX locations mapping / to gunicorn on port 8888 and /js/ to Express on port 3000.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure NGINX to expose multiple backend applications through URL paths and restart the service after enabling configuration.
Related concepts
- NGINXincludes · NGINX is open-source web-server and reverse-proxy software that serves HTTP content, forwards requests, and can load-balance network traffic.
- API gatewayincludes · An API gateway is an intermediary that provides an entry point for client requests to backend APIs or services and routes or otherwise mediates those requests.
- serveruses · A server is a computer system or software process that receives requests from clients or other systems and provides resources, data, or services in response.
- cachinguses · Caching is the practice of storing reusable data or computation results so later access can avoid repeating retrieval or computation.
- Internet Information Servicesused by · Internet Information Services is Microsoft's web server and application-hosting platform for Windows.
- TLS terminationimplements · TLS termination is the process of ending a TLS connection and decrypting its traffic at an endpoint or intermediary for processing or forwarding.
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