Interview Questions/Phone Screen/API Rate Limiting Basics
IntermediatePhone
2 min

API Rate Limiting Basics

APISecurityPerformance
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Interview Question

What is API rate limiting, why is it important, and how is it commonly implemented?

Key Points to Cover
  • Rate limiting controls number of requests per client or key
  • Prevents abuse, protects backend stability, avoids DDoS
  • Implemented via token buckets, leaky buckets, sliding windows
Evaluation Rubric
Defines API rate limiting34% weight
Explains its importance33% weight
Describes common implementation techniques33% weight
Hints
  • 💡Think headers like X-RateLimit-Limit and Retry-After.
Potential Follow-up Questions
  • How do you handle burst traffic?
  • How does rate limiting differ from throttling?
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