API-003 🔌 API

Rate Limit Exceeded

The API rejected the request because the client has exceeded the allowed number of requests within a specified time period.

Meaning

The API rejected the request because the client has exceeded the allowed number of requests within a specified time period.

Common causes

  • Too many requests in a short period
  • API plan has a low request limit
  • Application is making unnecessary repeated requests
  • Multiple clients are sharing the same API credentials
  • Retry logic is generating excessive requests

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Wait before sending additional requests
  2. Check the API rate-limit headers
  3. Reduce request frequency
  4. Implement request throttling
  5. Upgrade the API plan if necessary

Detailed fix by platform

JavaScript

  1. Implement exponential backoff
  2. Throttle repeated API requests
  3. Cache responses where appropriate

PHP

  1. Add request throttling
  2. Implement retry delays with exponential backoff
  3. Cache frequently requested API responses

API

  1. Review rate-limit documentation
  2. Monitor remaining request quota
  3. Upgrade the API plan if higher limits are required

How to diagnose

  1. Check the API response status —
  2. Inspect rate-limit headers —
  3. Review API usage statistics —
  4. Identify repeated requests —
  5. Check whether multiple applications share the same credentials —

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