Reverse vs Forward Proxy: What's the Key Difference and When to Use Each? Alternatively, if you prefer a sli

Honestly, the reverse vs forward proxy confusion is real. I used to think they were interchangeable until I blew up my homelab setup.

Forward proxy = client-side privacy (like hiding your IP).
Reverse proxy = server-side protection + performance (load balancing, caching).

If you're self-hosting, check out Traefik for reverse proxy. Super easy to configure. For forward, maybe Privoxy if you want lightweight control.