Proxies vs. API Gateways: Understanding the Differences

Understanding the Critical Gateway Components

Welcome to the next instalment in our System Design Interview Roadmap series! Today, we're diving deep into proxies and API gateways—two critical components that often cause confusion despite their fundamental role in modern distributed systems.

When designing systems that handle millions of requests per second, these components become essential building blocks rather than theoretical concepts. Let's unpack how they differ and when to use each one.

What Are Proxies?

At their core, proxies are intermediaries sitting between clients and servers. Think of them as trusted middlemen in network communication that intercept traffic before it reaches its final destination.

Basic Proxy Architecture

Key Types of Proxies

1. Forward Proxies: Sit closer to clients and represent clients to servers

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