> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.quantumproxies.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Proxy Basics

> Proxies are the foundation of everything you’ll be doing with Quantum Proxies.   This page explains what a proxy is, why you might use one, the types available, and the protocols we support. 

## What is a Proxy?

A proxy is an intermediary server that sits between your device and the internet. Instead of connecting directly to a website, your traffic is routed through a proxy first. This hides your real IP address and replaces it with one provided by Quantum Proxies.

<Tip>
  **In simple terms:**

  You → Proxy → Target Website
</Tip>

## Why Use Proxies?

Proxies provide three main benefits:

* **Anonymity** → Hide your real IP address from websites and services.
* **Access** → Appear as if you’re connecting from another country or region.
* **Stability** → Reduce blocks and captchas when scraping or automating requests.

They’re widely used for tasks like price monitoring, ad verification, sneaker bots, SEO, research, and bypassing geo-restrictions.

## Types of Proxies at Quantum Proxies

We provide several proxy types, each designed for different use cases:

### [Residential Proxies](/documentation/residential-proxies)

IPs from real devices connected through consumer ISPs.

* **Best for:** scraping, automation, ad verification.
* **Key trait:** very hard to block because they look like normal users.

### [Datacenter Proxies](/documentation/datacenter-proxies)

High-speed IPs hosted in data centers.

* **Best for:** bulk requests, ticketing, SEO monitoring.
* **Key trait:** very low latency and stable connections.

### [Static Residential (ISP Proxies)](/documentation/static-proxies)

A hybrid of datacenter reliability and residential legitimacy.

* **Best for:** long-running sessions that need “real” IPs.
* **Key trait:** static residential IPs you can keep over time.

### Mobile Proxies (optional if offered)

Real IPs from 4G/5G mobile devices.

* **Best for:** social media and mobile app automation.
* **Key trait:** extremely trusted by websites, as they appear like regular phones.

<Info>
  Rotating vs Sticky Sessions

  * **Rotating** → your IP changes automatically on each request or after a short period.
  * **Sticky** → your IP remains the same for a defined session length (e.g., 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour).
</Info>

## Supported Protocols

All Quantum Proxies support the most common proxy protocols:

* **HTTP / HTTPS** → works for most browsers, bots, and scripts.

You can select the protocol in your application when connecting with the proxy credentials you generate.

## Key Takeaways

* A proxy routes your internet traffic through another IP address.
* Quantum Proxies offers **Residential, Datacenter, ISP (Static Residential)**, and **Mobile** options.
* Choose **rotating** proxies for scale and scraping, and **sticky** sessions when you need consistency.
* Supported protocols are **HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 (Coming soon)**.

***