Rate limiting is a crucial mechanism in modern distributed systems that controls the rate at which users or services can access resources, such as APIs or services. It helps protect system resources from being overwhelmed by excessive requests, ensuring fair usage among all users and maintaining system stability. By implementing rate limiting, systems can prevent abuse, such as denial-of-service attacks, and manage load effectively during peak times ²⁵.

There are various strategies for implementing rate limiting, including setting thresholds for the number of requests allowed within specific time frames. For example, a service might allow one request per second or four requests per minute. Rate limiting can be integrated into application code, middleware, or as a standalone service, depending on the specific requirements and architecture of the application ¹³⁴.

Overall, rate limiting is essential for enhancing system reliability and security, making it a fundamental aspect of large-scale applications ²⁵.