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Rate limiting

Rate limiting

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4 mins READ

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Overview

Rate Limiting allows you to control the frequency of requests made by your automations, ensuring compliance with API rate limits, preventing overload, and maintaining stable operations.

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Use Cases

API Compliance

Your automation needs to interact with an external API with strict rate limits. For example. Asana has a standard rate limit policy of 1500 requests per minute.

In such cases we need to Configure rate limiting to match the API's restrictions, ensuring your automation doesn't exceed allowed request quotas.

Detailed Breakdown

  1. Rate Limit Toggle

    Users can independently enable or disable the rate-limiting functionality for each node. This granular control allows for optimized request management across different parts of a workflow.

  2.  Duration and Unit

    Set the time interval for the rate limit. The duration is a numeric value, and the unit can be selected from options like seconds, minutes, or hours, allowing for flexible rate limit configurations.

  3. Number of Requests

    Specify the maximum number of requests allowed within the defined time interval. This helps adhere to API quotas and prevent request overload.

  4. Wait for the Next Window

    This option causes the automation to pause and wait until the rate limit window resets before attempting new requests. This helps manage workflows that process large volumes of data over time.

Configuration Steps

  1. Access Node Settings

    • Select the node you want to configure in your workflow for rate limiting.

    • Look for the Rate Limit section in the node's settings panel.

  2. Enable Rate Limiting

    • Locate the Rate Limit checkbox and enable it.

  3. Set Duration and Unit

    • Find the Duration field and enter a numeric value.

    • In the Unit dropdown, select the appropriate time unit (e.g., seconds, minutes, hours).

  4. Configure Number of Requests

    • Enter the maximum number of allowed requests in the Number of requests field.

    • This value represents how many requests can be made within the specified duration.

  5. Enable Wait for Next Window (Optional)

    • If you want the automation to pause and wait for the next rate limit window, check the Wait for next window option.

FAQs

How does rate limiting differ from retry mechanisms?

While retries handle errors by attempting the same operation multiple times, rate limiting proactively manages request frequency to prevent errors and ensures smooth operation within defined constraints.

Can I use different rate limit configurations for different APIs within the same workflow? 

Yes, rate limits can be configured independently for each node in your workflow, allowing you to tailor settings to the requirements of different APIs or services.

What happens if my workflow tries to exceed the configured rate limit? 

If Wait for the next window is enabled, the workflow will pause until the next rate limit window begins. Disabling may result in errors or skipped operations depending on your error-handling configuration.

How do I determine the appropriate rate limit for my automation? 

Consult the documentation of the APIs or services you're interacting with. Many provide specific guidelines on rate limits. For internal systems, consider factors like system capacity and desired performance.

Can rate limiting be used in conjunction with caching to optimise performance? 

Yes, combining rate limiting with caching can be a powerful strategy. Caching can reduce the number of necessary API calls, while rate limiting ensures that they comply with usage restrictions when calls are needed.

Last updated : 13 February 2025, 09:34 AM

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