eli5 – what a proxy server is

Question

Can someone explain to me wth a proxy server is, I have a basic understanding of networks but the idea of a proxy server is not drilling into my brain

In: 1

Answer 1

Its a server that takes requests from clients, and then goes and fetches the request from the web server or whatever, then gives the results back to the clients.

Think of it this way.

You are a home, you want a beer. Beer is out, so you have to go to the store, but you can’t go outside because you have covid.

So you pop open the door dash app, you order beer. The driver goes to the store, gets the beer, and drops it off at your porch. Now you have beer.

Same concept. You request a web page, the proxy server goes and gets it for you, and then drops it off on your PC’s “doorstep”