> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rootkey.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rate Limits

> API throughput limits, burst behaviour, and retry guidance for all ROOTKey plans.

The ROOTKey API enforces rate limits on a per-API-key basis to ensure platform stability and fair resource allocation across all clients. Limits vary by subscription plan and apply equally to sandbox and production environments.

***

## How Rate Limiting Works

Rate limits are applied on a **sliding window** basis. When a limit is exceeded, the API returns:

```
HTTP 429 Too Many Requests
```

with a `Retry-After` header indicating the number of seconds to wait before retrying.

```
HTTP/1.1 429 Too Many Requests
Retry-After: 5
X-RateLimit-Limit: 100
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 0
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1725200000
```

| Header                  | Description                                    |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `X-RateLimit-Limit`     | Maximum requests allowed in the current window |
| `X-RateLimit-Remaining` | Requests remaining in the current window       |
| `X-RateLimit-Reset`     | Unix timestamp when the window resets          |
| `Retry-After`           | Seconds to wait before retrying                |

***

## Plan Limits

For specific throughput limits per plan, visit the pricing pages:

* [Platform Pricing](https://www.rootkey.ai/platform/pricing?utm_source=api_docs\&utm_medium=rate_limits\&utm_content=platform_pricing)
* [Enterprise Pricing](https://rootkey.ai/contact?utm_source=api_docs\&utm_medium=rate_limits\&utm_content=enterprise_pricing)

Enterprise plans include custom rate limit configurations. If your workload requires throughput beyond standard plan limits, contact [contact@rootkey.ai](mailto:contact@rootkey.ai) to discuss a custom arrangement.

***

## Protocol Throughput Considerations

Rate limits are enforced at the API layer. Actual throughput for operations that write to the blockchain (RKP-1) is additionally constrained by Polygon block times.

| Protocol | API Rate Limit | Additional Constraint           |
| -------- | -------------- | ------------------------------- |
| RKP-1    | Per plan       | Polygon block confirmation time |
| RKP-2    | Per plan       | None (async anchoring)          |
| RKP-3    | Per plan       | Depends on routing path         |

For high-throughput workloads, [RKP-2](/pages/protocols/rkp-2-off-chain) or [RKP-3](/pages/protocols/rkp-3-hybrid) are recommended. [RKP-1](/pages/protocols/rkp-1-on-chain) is bounded by blockchain block times in addition to API rate limits.

***

## Handling Rate Limits in Your Integration

Implement retry logic with **exponential backoff** for all `429` responses:

```python theme={null}
import time
import requests

def api_request_with_retry(url, headers, payload, max_retries=5):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)

        if response.status_code == 429:
            retry_after = int(response.headers.get("Retry-After", 2 ** attempt))
            time.sleep(retry_after)
            continue

        return response

    raise Exception("Max retries exceeded")
```

**Recommendations:**

* Always inspect the `Retry-After` header - use it instead of a fixed backoff value
* Add jitter to your backoff to avoid thundering herd behaviour when multiple clients hit the limit simultaneously
* Monitor `X-RateLimit-Remaining` to detect when you are approaching the limit and proactively slow down
* For high-volume batch operations, distribute requests over time rather than sending in bursts

***

## Development Environment Rate Limits

The development environment (`dev-api.rootkey.ai`) applies the same rate limits as production. This allows you to test rate-limit handling during development - you will encounter `429` responses under the same conditions as in production.

***

## Increasing Limits

If your workload consistently approaches plan limits:

1. **Upgrade your plan** - [view plans](https://www.rootkey.ai/platform/pricing?utm_source=api_docs\&utm_medium=rate_limits\&utm_content=upgrade)
2. **Contact enterprise sales** - for custom throughput arrangements at [contact@rootkey.ai](mailto:contact@rootkey.ai)
3. **Optimise your integration** - review whether your call pattern can be batched or deferred to reduce peak request volume