Rate Limit Exceeded (RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED)

The request was rejected because the client exceeded the configured rate limit.

Common Causes

• Too many requests — The client sent more requests than the rate limit policy allows within the configured time window.
• Shared rate limit — Multiple clients or API keys share a rate limit pool that has been exhausted.
• Burst traffic — A sudden spike in requests exceeded the allowed burst capacity.

How to Fix

• Check the Retry-After header — The response typically includes a Retry-After header indicating how long to wait before sending another request.
• Implement backoff — Add exponential backoff and retry logic to the client.
• Request a higher limit — If the current rate limit is too restrictive, contact the API provider about upgrading the plan or adjusting limits.

For API Operators

• Review the rate limiting policy configuration in the route settings.
• Consider using dynamic rate limiting to set different limits per customer tier.
• Check the rate limit metrics to determine if limits need adjustment.