What is Rate Limiting?
Turkish: Rate Limiting
Rate limiting protects APIs by capping how many requests a user, IP address, or token can send within a defined time window.
What is Rate Limiting?
Rate limiting restricts how many requests a user, IP address, API key, or token can make within a defined period. It protects system resources and reduces the impact of brute force attempts, scraping, spam, and misconfigured integrations.
When an API allows 100 requests per minute, the 101st request often receives a 429 Too Many Requests response. Well-designed responses also include headers such as Retry-After so clients know when to try again.
Common Algorithms
- Fixed window: Counts within a set window; simple, but can burst at the boundary.
- Sliding window: Calculates the time range more smoothly.
- Token bucket: Refills tokens at a steady rate and allows controlled short bursts.
- Leaky bucket: Processes requests at a fixed rate and smooths sudden load.
Business Use
Rate limiting matters for payment APIs, login forms, search endpoints, file uploads, and public integrations. If limits are too low, legitimate customers are blocked; if they are too high, infrastructure cost and abuse risk rise. Limits should reflect user type, plan, endpoint cost, and security risk.
An API Gateway often applies rate limiting centrally; API design should treat quota, error messages, and client retry behavior together.
Related Terms
API Gateway security centralizes authentication, quotas, WAF rules, and traffic visibility at the API entry point.
API GatewayAn API Gateway sits between clients and services to centralize routing, authentication, quotas, observability, and versioning.
API QuotaAn API quota limits the total calls, data volume, or operations a customer, application, or key may use within a defined period.
Rate Limiting StrategiesRate limiting strategies balance API request speed with fixed window, sliding window, leaky bucket, or token bucket algorithms.
API SecurityAPI security protects endpoints with authentication, authorization, encryption, rate limits, and monitoring against misuse or data leaks.
API (Application Programming Interface)An API is a contract that lets software systems request approved data or actions from one another through documented endpoints.
Brute Force AttackA brute force attack tries many password or key combinations automatically until one works, often targeting login and admin panels.
Credential StuffingCredential stuffing is an account takeover attack that automatically tests leaked usernames and passwords across many services.