Why Do We Need a Rate Limiter?

Imagine thousands of requests arriving at the same time.

Without limits, a system can become overloaded, slow, and expensive to run.

A Rate Limiter controls the flow of requests, keeping the system stable, fair, and efficient.

WITHOUT Rate Limiter
⚠ CHAOTIC BURST
Source
Overloaded
WITH Rate Limiter
✅ FLOW CONTROLLED
Source
Stable

Prevents Overloading

Keeps systems stable during traffic spikes.

Ensures Fair Usage

Stops a single user from consuming everything.

Controls Costs

Avoids unnecessary processing and infrastructure usage.

What exactly should a rate limiter do?