A Squid is an application software released under GNU/GPL which acts as a proxy server as well as web cache Daemon. Squid primarily supports protocols like HTTP and FTP however other protocols like HTTPS, SSL, TLS, etc are well supported. For frequently visited websites, the web surfing is made faster by caching web and DNS with the feature web cache Daemon. Squid is known to support all major platforms including Linux, UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and Mac.
A Squid proxy server is generally installed on a separate server than the web server with the original files. It works by tracking object use over the network. It initially acts as an intermediary, simply passing the client’s request on to the server and saving a copy of the requested object. If the same client or multiple clients request the same object before expiring from Squid’s cache, Squid can then immediately serve it, accelerating the download and saving bandwidth.
Since the early 1990s, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have used Squid proxy servers to provide faster download speeds and reduce latency, especially for delivering rich media and streaming video. Content delivery networks and media companies employ squid proxy servers and deploy them to improve the experience of viewers requesting programming, particularly for load balancing and handling traffic spikes for popular content.
The squid was originally designed to run on Unix-based systems but can also be run on Windows machines. It is a free, open source software and can be used under the GNU General Public License (GPL) of the Free Software Foundation and
The Squid was originally an outgrowth of the Harvest Project, an ARPA-funded open source information gathering, and storage tool. “Squid” was the code name used to differentiate the project when development in the new direction was initially begun.