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Networking & Protocols

Reverse Proxy

/rɪˈvɜːs ˈprɒksi/

Definition

A server sitting in front of backend servers, forwarding client requests and returning responses on their behalf.

Example in context

"Nginx acts as a reverse proxy — it handles SSL termination and routes /api/ to the Node app, / to the static site."

Related terms

  • Load balancer — A component distributing incoming traffic across multiple servers so no single server becomes overwhelmed.
  • API gateway — A server acting as entry point for clients, routing requests to appropriate microservices, handling auth and rate limiting.

Practice this term

Master Reverse Proxy in context by working through exercises in the Networking & Protocols module. You'll see the term used in real engineering scenarios with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching drills.

Practice in exercises → Browse all words

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Reverse Proxy" mean?

A server sitting in front of backend servers, forwarding client requests and returning responses on their behalf.

How do you pronounce "Reverse Proxy"?

"Reverse Proxy" is pronounced /rɪˈvɜːs ˈprɒksi/.

Can you use "Reverse Proxy" in a sentence?

"Nginx acts as a reverse proxy — it handles SSL termination and routes /api/ to the Node app, / to the static site."