What HTTP status code is commonly returned when rate limits are exceeded?

What HTTP status code is commonly returned when rate limits are exceeded?

• A. 429 Too Many Requests
• B. 200 OK
• C. 500 Internal Server Error
• D. 301 Moved Permanently

Answer: (A)

When a client hits the limit on how often it can call a service, the response should clearly signal that the request was not accepted due to rate of requests. The appropriate HTTP status is the one described as Too Many Requests. This directly communicates that the client should slow down and retry later, and it often comes with a Retry-After header telling when to try again. Other options don’t express this condition: a successful status means the request worked; an internal server error indicates a problem on the server; a redirect indicates the resource has moved.

When a client hits the limit on how often it can call a service, the response should clearly signal that the request was not accepted due to rate of requests. The appropriate HTTP status is the one described as Too Many Requests. This directly communicates that the client should slow down and retry later, and it often comes with a Retry-After header telling when to try again. Other options don’t express this condition: a successful status means the request worked; an internal server error indicates a problem on the server; a redirect indicates the resource has moved.