Rate Limits

Learn how Aevum News API manages request throughput, quota allocations per tier, and how to handle throttling gracefully in your applications.

ℹ️ Note

Rate limits are applied per API key, not per IP address. If you manage multiple keys, each operates within its own quota window.

How Rate Limits Work

Aevum News uses a sliding window algorithm to enforce rate limits. This means your quota resets dynamically as time passes, rather than on fixed hourly boundaries. This approach prevents burst abuse while allowing consistent, predictable throughput.

Each request is evaluated against your tier's limits before processing. If you exceed the allowed threshold, the API will immediately respond with a 429 Too Many Requests status, and your request will not be counted against your quota.

Limit Scope

Global: Applies to all endpoints combined.
Endpoint-Specific: Certain intensive operations (e.g., bulk article retrieval, live feed subscriptions) have lower sub-limits to protect system stability.
Burst vs Sustained: All tiers allow a short burst (up to 2x the hourly limit) that must be paid back within the window.

Tiers & Quotas

Quotas are defined by your subscription plan. Upgrade anytime from the developer dashboard to increase your limits.

Tier	Hourly Requests	Daily Quota	Concurrent Connections	Burst Allowance
Free	100	1,000	2	20
Pro	10,000	100,000	10	500
Enterprise	Custom	Unlimited*	50+	Configurable

*Enterprise daily quotas are subject to fair-use policies and infrastructure scaling guarantees. Contact sales for SLA details.

Response Headers

Every API response includes rate limit metadata in the HTTP headers. Monitor these values to track your remaining quota and implement smart backoff strategies.

HTTP Response Headers

X-RateLimit-Limit: 10000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 9842
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1718456920
Retry-After: 30  // Only present on 429 responses

Header Definitions

Header	Description
`X-RateLimit-Limit`	Maximum requests allowed per hour for your tier.
`X-RateLimit-Remaining`	Requests left in the current sliding window.
`X-RateLimit-Reset`	Unix timestamp when your quota fully resets.
`Retry-After`	Seconds to wait before retrying (only on `429`).

Error Handling

When you exceed your rate limit, the API returns a 429 Too Many Requests status code along with a JSON body detailing the throttling state.

429 Response Body

{
  "error": {
    "code": "RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED",
    "message": "You have exceeded your hourly request quota.",
    "details": {
      "tier": "pro",
      "limit": 10000,
      "remaining": 0,
      "reset_in_seconds": 1842,
      "documentation": "https://aevumnews.dev/docs/rate-limits"
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Important

Do not retry immediately after receiving a 429. Wait for the duration specified in Retry-After or reset_in_seconds to avoid permanent temporary bans for aggressive retrying.

Best Practices

1. Implement Exponential Backoff

If you hit a limit, wait, then retry with increasing delays. A standard pattern is 2^n * base_delay + random_jitter.

2. Cache Aggressively

News data changes infrequently relative to API calls. Cache articles, categories, and metadata for at least 5–15 minutes unless using live streams.

3. Use Pagination Wisely

Always use the limit and cursor parameters. Avoid requesting limit=100 repeatedly; batch fetches consume quota faster than sequential requests.

4. Monitor Headers Programmatically

Build a middleware or interceptor that logs X-RateLimit-Remaining and triggers alerts when it drops below 10%.

Request a Limit Increase

Running a high-traffic application or need dedicated throughput? Enterprise and custom Pro tiers support dynamic scaling, webhook deduplication, and reserved capacity.

Contact our API partnerships team at api-support@aevumnews.dev or use the support portal with the subject line [Rate Limit Review].