Web & APIsIntermediate
Rate Limiting
PronunciationRAYT LIM-it-ing
Definition
Limiting how many requests a user or app can send in a period of time, to stop abuse and protect the server.
Where you hear it
API design, security reviews, and "429 Too Many Requests" errors.
Examples
We apply rate limiting of 100 requests per minute per user.
You hit the rate limit, so wait a minute and retry.
Common mistake
Limiting only by IP address. Many users share one IP, so also limit by account or API key.