**What is the purpose of a reverse proxy in web servers?**
The purpose of a **reverse proxy** in web servers is to act as an intermediary between clients and backend servers. It forwards client requests to the appropriate server, which can load-balance traffic, enhance security, and optimize performance. By hiding the identity of backend servers, a reverse proxy can protect them from direct attacks. It can also handle SSL termination, caching, and compression, thus improving response times. Overall, employing a reverse proxy streamlines server management and enhances the resilience and efficiency of web services.