Reverse Proxy vs Forward Proxy: What's the Difference and When to Use Each? or Reverse Proxy vs Forwa

Reverse Proxy vs Forward Proxy: Can Someone Explain the Key Differences?

Hey folks,

I’ve been reading up on reverse proxy vs forward proxy, but tbh, I’m still a bit confused. Like, I get that both handle traffic, but when would you use one over the other?

From what I gather:
- A *forward proxy* sits in front of clients (like employees browsing the web) and hides *their* identities.
- A *reverse proxy* sits in front of servers (like a website) and hides *their* backend details.

But real talk—when would you pick one vs the other? Is it just about who you’re hiding (client vs server), or are there other big differences?

Also, anyone got real-world examples where one saved your bacon?

Thanks in advance!