API Rate Limiting: Strategies for High-Volume Applications

Understanding Rate Limits

Exponential Backoff

async function callWithRetry(fn, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
      return await fn();
    } catch (e) {
      if (e.status === 429) {
        await delay(Math.pow(2, i) * 1000); // 1s, 2s, 4s
      }
    }
  }
}

Request Queuing

Implement a request queue with priority levels. High-priority requests jump the queue during rate limit windows.

Multi-Provider Distribution

Distribute requests across multiple API keys or providers to effectively double or triple your rate limits.