Understanding API Rate Limits: Classic Rate Limit vs. Concurrency Limit
When working with APIs, especially those providing real-time data like bnbapi.com, understanding rate limits is crucial to ensure smooth and efficient access to data without interruptions.
What Are API Rate Limits?
API rate limits define the maximum number of requests a client can make to the API within a certain timeframe. This is essential to protect the server from overload and ensure fair usage among all users.
Classic Rate Limit Example: 10 Requests per Second
The most common type of rate limiting is the classic rate limit. For example, if the limit is set to 10 requests per second, it means you can make up to 10 API calls every second.
If you exceed this limit, the API will typically return an error (e.g., HTTP 429 Too Many Requests), and you’ll need to wait before sending more requests.
This kind of rate limiting helps maintain server performance and prevents abuse by controlling the frequency of incoming calls.
Concurrency Limit Example: 25 Concurrent Requests
Besides the classic rate limit, bnbapi.com also implements a concurrency limit—for instance, 25 concurrent requests. This means you can have up to 25 API requests being processed simultaneously.
Why is this important? Some endpoints require heavy real-time computation to generate data on the fly, rather than relying on pre-calculated cached data. These calculations can take time, so limiting concurrency prevents the server from being overwhelmed by too many simultaneous complex queries.
In other words, concurrency limits ensure that each request receives enough server resources to deliver the freshest, most accurate data without delays or timeouts.
Why Real-Time Processing Matters
At bnbapi.com, the data is computed in real time to provide you with the most up-to-date market insights. This approach delivers better accuracy compared to APIs relying on periodically precomputed snapshots. However, real-time calculations can be resource-intensive, which is why concurrency limits are necessary to maintain a high quality of service.
Summary
- Classic rate limit (e.g., 10 requests/sec): Controls how many requests you can send in a short time to avoid flooding the API.
- Concurrency limit (e.g., 25 concurrent requests): Controls how many requests can be processed at the same time to manage heavy real-time computations effectively.
By respecting both limits, you help ensure reliable, high-performance access to our API and get the freshest data available on the market.