This document provides an explanation of why APIs typically utilize rate limiting and outlines the rate limit policy employed by our API
This document provides an explanation of why APIs typically utilize rate limiting and outlines the rate limit policy employed by our API. It also emphasizes that the limits are subject to change at any stage.
Why is API Rate Limiting?
Rate limiting is a mechanism implemented by APIs to control the number of requests clients can make within a specific time period. It helps protect the API and its underlying systems from potential issues caused by excessive traffic or malicious activities. Here are some key reasons why rate limiting is essential:
- Protection against Traffic Spikes: Rate limiting prevents sudden and excessive influxes of requests from overwhelming the API. By enforcing limits, the API can ensure stable performance, reduce the risk of downtime, and maintain a consistent user experience for all clients.
- Preservation of Resources: Rate limiting helps conserve server resources by preventing abusive or unnecessary requests. It allows the API to allocate resources fairly among all clients, avoiding scenarios where a few clients monopolize the available resources.
- Security and Mitigation of Attacks: Rate limiting plays a crucial role in mitigating Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. By limiting the number of requests per client, it becomes more challenging for attackers to overwhelm the API infrastructure.
- Encouraging Responsible API Usage: Rate limiting encourages clients to use the API responsibly by adhering to defined limits. It promotes better resource management and discourages actions that could negatively impact API availability or performance.
Our Rate Limit Policy
To ensure the stability and reliability of our API, we have implemented rate limiting. The current rate limit policy is as follows:
- Rate Limit: X requests per hour (or any other time period).
- Response to Exceeded Limit: If the number of requests from a client exceeds the limit within the specified time period, the API will respond with a 429 - Too Many Requests status code. This indicates that the client has reached their rate limit and should reduce their request rate.
Changing Rate Limits
Please note that the rate limits defined in our API are subject to change at any stage. We reserve the right to adjust the rate limits to ensure optimal performance, protect the API infrastructure, and maintain fair resource allocation.
Conclusion
Rate limiting is an important mechanism implemented by APIs to protect their infrastructure, ensure fair resource allocation, and provide stable performance. Our API employs rate limiting to manage traffic and protect against potential issues caused by excessive requests. By understanding and respecting the rate limits, clients can contribute to the overall health and availability of the API. We reserve the right to adjust the rate limits as necessary, and any changes will be communicated to clients in a timely manner.