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When your app suddenly becomes slow, freezes, or stops loading data, most teams immediately point fingers at the backend infrastructure. But here’s the truth: one of the most common reasons apps break isn’t slow servers—it’s API rate limits.

 

🛠️ What Are Rate Limits?

Rate limits define how many API requests a user, application, or IP address can send within a specific time window. Think of them as traffic control for your API endpoints.

Common examples include:

• 100 requests per minute
• 10 requests per second
• 1,000 requests per day

When your application exceeds the allowed limit, the server automatically rejects additional requests—often without warning.

 

📌Example

Consider your app’s “Home Feed” that calls an API every time a user opens the app. If 1,000 users simultaneously launch your app, and your rate limit is 500 requests per second, roughly half of those users will be blocked until the next time window begins.

 

🎯 Why Do APIs Use Rate Limits?

Rate limits exist to protect system performance and ensure fair resource allocation. They prevent:

✓ Traffic overload — Sudden spikes during flash sales, product launches, or viral moments can overwhelm servers.

✓ Bot or script attacks — Malicious scripts sending thousands of requests per second to exploit vulnerabilities or scrape data.

✓ Increased infrastructure costs — More requests mean more compute power, which translates to higher operational expenses.

✓ DDoS-like behavior — Even unintentional, such as a mobile app configured to refresh data every second.

Rate limits ensure APIs remain stable, responsive, and accessible for all users.

 

🚨 What Happens When Rate Limits Are Hit?

When you exceed rate limits, you’ll typically encounter:

• HTTP 429 – Too Many Requests status code
• API timeouts or significantly delayed responses
• Screens stuck on loading indicators
• Non-functional buttons and interactions
• Data that fails to refresh

 

🔄 Common Rate Limiting Algorithms

API rate limiting isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different APIs implement different strategies for controlling request flow. Understanding these algorithms helps you design better integrations and troubleshoot issues more effectively.

 

1️⃣ Fixed Window Limiting

The most straightforward approach. It limits requests within fixed time intervals.

How it works: You can make 100 requests per hour. Once you hit that limit, all additional requests are rejected until the next hour begins.

 

2️⃣ Sliding Window Limiting

A more sophisticated approach that applies limits to a rolling time period.

How it works: You can make 100 requests in any 60-minute period. The system tracks requests over the most recent 60 minutes continuously, not in fixed blocks.

 

3️⃣ Leaky Bucket Algorithm

Models rate limiting as a bucket with a hole at the bottom.

How it works:

• Incoming requests fill the bucket
• Requests “leak” out at a constant rate (processed at steady intervals)
• If the bucket overflows, new requests are denied
• Bucket has a maximum capacity

 

Example:

• Bucket capacity: 100 requests
• Leak rate: 10 requests per second
• If 50 requests arrive in 1 second, they’re queued
• System processes them at 10/second, taking 5 seconds total
• If 150 requests arrive instantly, 50 are rejected

 

4️⃣ Token Bucket Algorithm

Uses tokens that regenerate over time to control request rates.

How it works:

• A bucket holds tokens (capacity: e.g., 100 tokens)
• Tokens are added at a fixed rate (e.g., 10 tokens per second)
• Each request consumes 1 token
• If no tokens available, request is rejected
• Bucket can fill to maximum capacity when idle

 

🧰 How to Handle Rate Limits Properly

✔ 1. Implement Local Caching

Store API responses locally so screens don’t repeatedly request the same data. Use appropriate cache invalidation strategies based on data freshness requirements.

✔ 2. Debounce User Inputs

Collect all keystrokes within a defined window (typically 300-500ms) and send a single API request.

Example: Typing “weather” should trigger one request, not seven separate calls.

✔ 3. Exponential Backoff for Retries

When a request fails, implement progressive delays before retrying:

1s → 2s → 4s → 8s

This prevents overwhelming the API during recovery periods and gives the server time to stabilize.

✔ 4. Request Incremental Updates

Send only changed data or use timestamp-based queries instead of requesting complete datasets.

Example: Instead of calling /get-all-notifications, use /get-new-notifications?after=timestamp.

✔ 5. Queue Background Requests

Implement request queuing for non-urgent operations like uploading files, syncing logs, or backing up fitness data.

✔ 6. Strategic Data Preloading

Load frequently accessed data during user login so subsequent screens don’t need to make redundant API calls.

 

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Rate limits are API protection mechanisms, not backend performance issues
• Applications must be designed with intelligent request management from the start
• Caching, debouncing, exponential backoff, and request queuing prevent rate limit violations
• Reviewing rate limit logs often reveals the root cause of “mysterious” app failures
• Proper rate limit handling delivers: ✔ Faster application performance ✔ Fewer runtime errors ✔ Superior user experience ✔ Reduced infrastructure costs

When your app experiences issues, always ask: “Are we hitting a rate limit?”

Understanding and respecting rate limits isn’t just about avoiding errors—it’s about building robust, scalable applications that provide consistent experiences for all users.

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Jump into our new LinkedIn thread on —  API Rate Limits: The Silent Rule That Controls Every API
Also, read our last article: OAuth vs JWT: When to Use Each

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Every digital product today needs a secure, fast, and frictionless login experience. Users want to sign in instantly, stay logged in without constant prompts, and trust that their data is protected behind the scenes.

But behind this simple experience, two powerful concepts quietly do the heavy lifting:

👉 OAuth

👉 JWT (JSON Web Token)

Both are extremely popular, but they play very different roles in the authentication journey.

Let’s break them down in the simplest possible way.

 

🧩 What Is OAuth?

OAuth is an authorization framework that lets users give an app limited access to their data without sharing their password.

You’ve seen OAuth in action every time you choose:

• Continue with Google

• Login with Apple

• Sign in with Facebook

Here, OAuth allows the app to confirm who you are using a trusted identity provider — without the app ever touching your actual password.

 

⭐ Key Idea:

OAuth securely grants permission and verifies identity using another trusted system.

Think of OAuth as the secure gatekeeper.

 

🧾 What Is JWT?

JWT is a token format used after the user has logged in.

Once a user is authenticated, the app issues a JWT — a compact, digitally signed token. This token is then sent with every request to the server so the app knows:

• who the user is

• whether the request is valid

• whether the user session is still active

This means users don’t have to log in again repeatedly.

 

⭐ Key Idea:

JWT maintains the user’s identity across requests and keeps them logged in securely.

Think of JWT as your digital access pass with an expiry time.

 

🔍 OAuth vs JWT in Simple Words

• OAuth = Helps the user get in securely

• JWT = Helps the user stay in securely

OAuth handles the login/permission part. JWT handles the ongoing session part.

They’re not competitors — they’re teammates.

 

🤝 Do OAuth and JWT Work Together?

Absolutely — in fact, that’s extremely common.

Here’s a typical flow:

1️⃣ User selects Login with Google → OAuth manages the secure login 2️⃣ App receives identity details → App issues a JWT 3️⃣ User stays logged in smoothly → JWT manages the session

So it’s not OAuth vs JWT, but OAuth + JWT working together at different stages.

 

📌 When to Use OAuth

Use OAuth when you need:

✔ Social login (Google, Apple, Facebook)

✔ Password-less sign-in

✔ Verification through trusted identity providers

✔ Limited/controlled access to user data

 

📌 When to Use JWT

Use JWT when your app needs:

✔ Seamless user sessions

✔ Fast verification for APIs

✔ A scalable system without server-side sessions

✔ Mobile-friendly and microservices-friendly authentication

🧠 Real-Life Example

You open an app → choose Login with Google. 🔐 OAuth takes care of that entire login + permission process.

You start using the app, close it, reopen it, and you’re still logged in. 🔐 JWT is the reason you don’t need to log in again.

 

⭐ Final Thought

OAuth and JWT are not replacements for each other — they are solutions for different parts of the authentication workflow.

• OAuth = How securely the user gets authenticated

• JWT = How long and how smoothly the user stays authenticated

By using both correctly, apps become more secure, scalable, and user-friendly.

Jump into our new LinkedIn thread on —  OAuth vs JWT: When to Use Each
Also, read our last article: The 2025 Cloudflare Outage: A Business Lesson Designing Apps That Respect Your Phone Battery

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On 18 November 2025, a major Cloudflare outage disrupted a huge portion of the internet. Users around the world suddenly found apps and websites refusing to load. Platforms like ChatGPT, X, Spotify, Canva, and countless others showed messages like “Something went wrong.”

Cloudflare later published an official explanation: an internal change mistakenly created a system file that grew far larger than expected. Their software wasn’t designed to handle a file of that size, which triggered a chain reaction that temporarily broke parts of their global network.

This wasn’t a cyberattack — it was an internal error. But because millions of businesses rely on Cloudflare, the internet effectively “broke” for several hours.

Cloudflare official blog — https://blog.cloudflare.com/18-november-2025-outage/

 

What Actually Happened?

Cloudflare made a small internal configuration change.

That change caused a particular system file to grow extremely large.

Cloudflare’s software could not process the file. As a result, requests began failing across their network.

Because Cloudflare sits in front of a massive portion of the internet — DNS, CDN, security, routing — the impact was global.

Again: not a hack, not an attack — simply a mistake with outsized consequences.

 

Why This Matters for Every Business

This outage highlights a big truth: Modern businesses rely heavily on external providers — often more than they realize.

Your own system might be running perfectly, your servers might be healthy, your code might have zero errors…

But if the service you depend on goes down, you go down with it.

This can cause:

• Lost sales and revenue
• Angry users
• Failed payments
• Bad reviews
• Massive customer support spikes
• Long-term damage to brand trust

In other words: your uptime is only as strong as your weakest dependency.

 

What Businesses Should Do Now

1. Don’t Rely on a Single Provider

For critical infrastructure, always have redundancy:

• DNS → use multiple DNS providers
• CDN → have fallback CDN or direct origin routing
• Firewall / security → multi-layer protection
• Authentication → secondary auth provider in emergencies

If one provider fails, the other keeps your service alive.

2. Build a Backup / Failover Plan

Your system should be capable of switching to alternative providers automatically or within minutes.

Even simple fallback routing can protect you from major outages.

3. Monitor Your Website and Services

Set alerts for:

• High error rates
• Slower loading
• API failures
• Traffic drops
• DNS resolution problems

The sooner you know, the sooner you can take action.

4. Communicate Quickly with Users

Silence makes outages worse.

If you’re affected by a global provider issue, send a simple, reassuring update:

“We’re currently impacted by a Cloudflare outage. Our team is monitoring the situation and will update you shortly.”

Clear communication builds trust, even during downtime.

5. Test Failure Scenarios Every Few Months

Practice breaking things on purpose:

• What happens if your CDN fails?
• What if DNS stops resolving?
• What if your firewall blocks all traffic?

These tests reveal weaknesses before real disasters occur.

 

Conclusion

The Cloudflare outage of November 18, 2025 is a powerful reminder that no provider — not even the biggest — is immune to failure.

Businesses must design their systems with resilience in mind:

• Multiple providers
• Failover plans
• Monitoring and alerts
• Transparent communication
• Regular failure testing

The internet is interconnected. A single mistake from a single company can disrupt millions of users.

Redundancy isn’t optional anymore — it’s essential for protecting your users, your brand, and your revenue.

Also, read our last article: Efficiently Handling Large File Uploads (PDF/DOCX) in AWS

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Large file uploads are one of those things that look simple — until they crash your system. A few heavy PDFs or DOCX files can slow APIs, overload memory, and frustrate users faster than bad UX. We faced this exact challenge while managing document uploads in AWS, and what we learned changed the way we handle big files forever.

The Challenge

Large files don’t move through networks smoothly. Uploading them directly through the backend causes:

• Timeouts due to long upload durations

• Server memory overload as files get buffered

• Failed uploads from unstable connections

• Duplicate storage when retries don’t clear old files

The solution wasn’t “stronger servers.” It was smarter upload handling.

AWS Multipart Upload — The Real Game Changer

AWS S3 includes a built-in system called Multipart Upload — designed exactly for large files. Here’s what it does:

• Splits one large file into smaller chunks (parts)

• Uploads all parts independently and in parallel

• Retries only the failed parts instead of restarting the whole upload

• Automatically combines all parts into a single file after completion

This one feature fixed 90% of our upload issues.

How It Improved Performance

• Uploads became faster and more stable, even for 100MB+ files

• Uploads could resume from where they stopped if a connection dropped

• No more API timeouts since uploads didn’t depend on a single long request

• AWS validated file integrity for each part automatically

Result: fewer errors, less bandwidth waste, and smoother user experience.

Security & Data Integrity

While optimizing performance, we also focused on security:

• Always upload over HTTPS to protect files in transit

• Use Server-Side Encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS) for stored files

• Set size limits and allowed MIME types to prevent unsafe uploads

• Restrict upload permissions using AWS IAM roles or policies

Cost & Storage Optimization

Efficient uploads are also about saving costs:

• Enable S3 Intelligent-Tiering to automatically move older files to cheaper storage

• Set lifecycle rules to delete incomplete uploads

• Encourage compression before uploading (especially for PDFs and DOCX)

• Track upload costs with AWS CloudWatch metrics

Key Takeaways

• Always use Multipart Upload for files larger than 5 MB

• Compress before uploading

• Encrypt during and after transfer

• Clean up unfinished uploads

• Monitor performance and costs regularly

Uploading large files isn’t about brute force — it’s about balance between speed, reliability, and cost-efficiency.

 

Jump into our new LinkedIn thread on — How to Handle Large File Uploads (PDF/DOCX) Efficiently in AWS
Also, read our last article:  Designing Apps That Respect Your Phone Battery

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We’ve all been there: you unplug your phone battery at 100% in the morning, and by lunch, it’s already begging for a charger.

Let’s unpack what’s really happening — and how smarter app design can make a huge difference.

 

🔋 1. Background Processes That Never Sleep

Even when you “close” an app, it might still be wide awake — syncing data, tracking location, sending analytics, or checking for new messages.

All of these invisible background tasks use your phone’s processor, network, and GPS — three of the biggest battery hogs.

✅ Smart fix: Schedule background updates at intervals instead of running them constantly. For example, syncing every 15 minutes instead of every few seconds can save hours of battery life.

 

📶 2. Network Calls Are Expensive

Every time an app connects to the internet — fetching images, videos, or data — your phone spins up the CPU and network radio. Poorly optimized apps often make repeated or unnecessary calls, draining both battery and bandwidth.

✅ Smart fix: Use caching and batch requests. Instead of pinging the server for every small update, store data locally and refresh it periodically.

 

🌡️ 3. Graphics and Animations That Overheat

Smooth transitions and flashy 3D effects look great — but they come at a cost. High frame rates and complex visuals keep the GPU busy, heating up your phone and burning through battery faster.

✅ Smart fix: Limit frame rates, compress images, and reduce animation frequency when the device is in low-power mode.

 

📍 4. GPS and Sensors in Overdrive

Location-heavy apps (like delivery or fitness trackers) are among the biggest power consumers, especially if they track every movement continuously.

✅ Smart fix: Use “significant change” location updates. The app only wakes when the user actually moves, rather than tracking every step in real time.

 

🧠 5. Inefficient Code = Wasted Power

Sometimes, the culprit isn’t the feature — it’s the code. Infinite loops, endless logging, or sensors left on after use can silently eat away at battery life.

✅ Smart fix: Regular code reviews and power profiling help catch these inefficiencies early, before they reach users.

 

⚙️ 6. The Rise of Battery-Aware Apps

Modern mobile platforms like Android and iOS now automatically restrict background activity and flag power-hungry apps. Still, the best developers go a step further — they design for efficiency from the start.

 

💡 Final Thought

Battery-friendly design isn’t just a developer detail anymore — it’s part of the user experience. An app that saves power feels faster, runs cooler, and earns user trust.

Because in a world full of notifications and open tabs, the most powerful app is the one that respects your battery.

 

Jump into our new LinkedIn thread on — Why Battery Drain Happens — and How Smart Apps Avoid It
Also, read our last article:  Firewalls — The Silent Bodyguards Protecting the Internet 

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Every click you make online — whether you’re shopping, chatting, or checking emails — sends your data across the internet, where threats like hackers, viruses, and malicious bots are waiting. So how does your device or website stay safe? 👉 The answer is Firewalls — your first and most important line of defense.

 

🧱 What Is a Firewall?

A firewall is like a digital security guard. It monitors all traffic (data) going in and out of a device or network and decides whether to allow it or block it.

Imagine a security guard standing at the gate:

• ✅ If the visitor is trusted, they are allowed in.
• ❌ If they are suspicious, they are denied entry.

That’s exactly what a firewall does for your device, website, or cloud server.

 

🔥 Types of Firewalls

1. Software Firewall

• Installed on your personal device (like a laptop).
• Protects only that device.
• Example: Windows Defender Firewall blocks unsafe apps or downloads.

2. Hardware Firewall

• A physical device used mostly in offices or organizations.
• Protects the entire network — all computers connected to it.
• Example: A company installs a firewall near the router to secure all employee computers.

3. Cloud Firewall

• Provided by cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure to protect websites and applications online.
• Example: AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) protects apps hosted on Amazon Web Services.

 

⚙️ How Does a Firewall Work?

When you access the internet, your data travels in small pieces called packets. A firewall inspects each packet and decides:

• Should it be allowed?
• Is it safe?
• Or is it dangerous and should be blocked?

 

Firewalls Make Decisions Using Four Key Checks:

🔹 1. IP Address – Who Is Sending the Data?

Every device on the internet has an IP address (like a home address). Firewalls check if the data is coming from a safe or dangerous source. If an IP has a bad reputation or has been used in attacks before, it’s instantly blocked.

🔹 2. Ports and Protocols – Which Door Is Being Used?

Internet services use different ports (channels). For example:

• Web browsing uses port 80 or 443
• Emails use port 25 or 587

Firewalls allow only safe ports and block the rest.

🔹 3. Packet Content – What’s Inside the Data?

Modern firewalls don’t just check who’s sending data — they also inspect what’s inside it.

This is called Deep Packet Inspection:

• The firewall looks inside the packet to detect malware or malicious code.
• If anything harmful is found, it is blocked instantly.

🔹 4. Application Insights – Which App Is Sending This Data?

Next-generation firewalls are smart enough to detect which application is generating the traffic.

They allow trusted apps like Zoom, Gmail, or WhatsApp, and block fake or unknown apps.

 

💼 How Startups and Small Businesses Use Firewalls

You don’t need big budgets or fancy hardware. Small companies often use:

• Cloud firewalls from AWS, Azure, and Cloudflare
• Software firewalls on their laptops
• Linux firewalls like UFW to protect their servers

 

🔒 Why Firewalls Still Matter Today

Firewalls protect you from:

• Hackers trying to break in
• Malware and viruses
• Unauthorized access
• Data theft
• Spam traffic and bots

Without firewalls, your system would be wide open to attacks 24/7.

 

🤖 The Future of Firewalls

Firewalls are getting smarter every day. They now use:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Real-time threat detection
• Automatic updates

 

🎯 Final Thought

Firewalls may not be visible, but they are always working silently in the background, protecting your data and privacy.

They don’t just guard your network — They guard your peace of mind.

Jump into our new LinkedIn thread on Firewalls — The Silent Bodyguards Protecting the Internet and add your experience.
Also, read our last article: Mastering Query Optimization for Faster Databases