The 429 Too Many Requests status code represents a fundamental aspect of API rate limiting and resource protection. Implementation requires careful consideration of rate limit algorithms, storage strategies, and client communication. Rate limiting must handle various scenarios: per-client limits, global limits, or resource-specific limits. Storage strategies for rate limit data must be efficient and distributed-system friendly. Response headers should provide comprehensive rate limit information: limit size, remaining quota, reset time. Security implications include protecting against DoS attacks while maintaining service for legitimate users. The 429 status code serves as a key tool in API protection, requiring robust implementation to balance accessibility and security.
