Reverse-Proxy

Web Servers and Technologies Behind the Internet The Internet runs on many small rules and shared tools. When you type a site name, your device asks a domain name system (DNS) to translate that name into an address. That address tells the browser where to reach a computer that can answer the request. Data then travels through routers and networks, following efficient paths to reach the server that hosts the site. The journey is built from simple steps, but it needs careful coordination to feel instant. ...

Web Servers Explained: From Requests to Responses A web server is a program that waits for requests from browsers and other clients, then sends back pages, images, or data. It runs on a computer connected to the internet and works with other software to deliver content quickly and safely. Even small sites rely on a web server to reply to visitors. The core pieces are simple: a transport layer (TCP), a security layer (TLS for HTTPS), and the application layer (HTTP). The server software, such as NGINX or Apache, listens on a port, usually 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS, and uses rules to decide how to handle each request. ...

Web Servers Compared: Nginx, Apache, and Beyond Choosing a web server is a common task for developers and hosting teams. Nginx and Apache are the familiar leaders, but you may encounter other options that fit special needs. This article compares the main choices and explains when each one shines. The goal is to help you pick based on traffic patterns, content type, security, and how easy it is to maintain your setup. ...

Web Servers: Choosing, Configuring, and Optimizing Web servers sit at the front line of your site. They handle requests, manage connections, and decide how fast pages load. The right choice depends on your content, traffic, and your team’s skills. Choosing a Web Server Nginx shines at serving static files and working as a reverse proxy. Apache offers many modules and broad compatibility. Caddy gives automatic TLS and simple setup. Match features to needs: light blogs need less code, while apps with many rules may favor Apache or Nginx. ...

Web Servers and Application Delivery: Architecture Essentials In modern web delivery, the path from a user to an app is shaped by architecture. A good design combines web servers, load balancing, and delivery controls so traffic is fast, reliable, and secure. This guide outlines essential building blocks and practical patterns you can adapt. Core components: Web servers host content and run app logic. Load balancers spread requests across healthy servers. Reverse proxies handle TLS, caching, and request shaping. Application delivery controllers add health checks and rate limits. CDNs place content near users and reduce origin load. Caching and compression speed responses. Traffic flow can be simple or layered. A client requests a page. The front door selects a healthy server, TLS is terminated at the edge or the origin, the app processes the work, and the response travels back, possibly through a CDN or a cache to speed up repeat visits. ...

Web Servers Explained: Apache Nginx and Beyond Web servers are the software that talks to browsers. They listen for requests, fetch files or run code, and send responses over HTTP or HTTPS. Different servers optimize for speed, complexity, and scale. This guide explains the big players—Apache and Nginx—and a few practical options for modern sites. Apache HTTP Server has many years of development and a large ecosystem. It shines when you need flexible modules, wide app compatibility, and per-directory rules through .htaccess files. Its strength is adaptability, not raw speed alone. ...

Web Servers Explained: Architecture, Configuration, and Tuning Web servers are the frontline of most websites. They listen for requests, serve files, run code, and talk to databases or caches. A good setup helps pages load faster, stay available, and stay secure. This guide explains the main parts of a web server, how to configure them, and simple ways to tune performance. Architecture starts with the software. Common choices are Nginx, Apache, and Lighttpd. Each has strengths: Nginx is fast at serving static files and works well as a reverse proxy; Apache offers many modules and flexible rules; Lighttpd is lightweight for small servers. Behind the software is the operating system, hardware, and network. In many setups, a front-end reverse proxy handles all external traffic, then forwards requests to application servers or static file servers. A database or cache may sit nearby. Keeping this separation clear helps with scaling and security. ...

Web servers explained for developers A web server is software that handles requests from browsers and returns web pages or data. It runs on a machine, listens for HTTP or HTTPS, and can serve static files, run dynamic code, or route requests to other programs. For developers, the core idea is simple: a server sits between your code and the internet, managing connections, security, and performance. How a request travels When you load a page, the browser asks a DNS server to find the domain, opens a TCP connection, and may start TLS if HTTPS is used. The server then reads the request, decides what to send, and returns a response with headers and a body. If HTTPS is used, the TLS handshake happens first, then data flows encrypted. ...

Web Servers Architecture Performance and Security Web servers shape how fast a site feels and how well data is protected. A solid architecture blends performance with security from the first line of code to the edge of the network. In practice, teams use patterns that separate concerns: a front door, a pool of workers, and a shared data layer. The goal is to deliver reliable responses under growing traffic while keeping risks manageable. ...

Web Servers: How They Work and How to Tune Them Web servers sit between clients and your applications. They listen on ports 80 and 443, accept HTTP requests, and return responses. The core idea is simple: read a request, decide if you can serve it from a file, or fetch it from an app, then send the result back. The two common models are event-driven servers (like Nginx) and traditional process-based servers (like Apache with mpm_prefork). Event-driven designs handle many connections with a small thread count and are great for static content and high traffic. Process-based setups are easy to understand and can work well for smaller apps, but they can use more memory under heavy load. In practice, many deployments combine a fast front-end proxy with a dynamic app layer behind it. ...