Stop customers from overloading your API with too many requests

Automatically tracks API usage per customer and blocks requests once they hit their set limit.

How the work actually flows

It branches. Exactly one path is taken.

Pattern: Exclusive Choice (4) · Simple Merge (5)

flowchart TD trig>"api request received"]:::trig s0["count recent requests"]:::task s1[("log usage record")]:::store trig --> s0 gx{"× is request over limit"}:::gate s0 --> gx p00["block request"]:::task gx -->|"over limit"| p00 p10["allow request"]:::task gx -->|"under limit"| p10 jn{"○ usage logged"}:::gate p00 --> jn p10 --> jn jn --> s1 out[/"requests blocked or allowed correctly"/]:::out pay{{"api protected without manual monitoring"}}:::pay s1 --> out out --> pay classDef task fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#34b8f0,color:#2c2a29 classDef svc fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#7c8795,color:#2c2a29 classDef mi fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29,stroke-width:2px classDef human fill:#fff,stroke:#0079a8,color:#0079a8 classDef store fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29 classDef trig fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigtime fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigdata fill:#8ad4f5,stroke:#0079a8,color:#06314c,font-weight:bold classDef gate fill:#fff,stroke:#e8a23d,color:#6b4708,font-weight:bold classDef out fill:#1f9d6b,stroke:#167a53,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef pay fill:#06314c,stroke:#021f33,color:#fff
Starts itA stepA record or sheetOne path onlyPaths rejoinResultPayoff
Build size
Standard

A mid-size build with several tools working together.

Business functions
Image & Media ProcessingSpreadsheet & Database OpsAPI & Webhook Integration
Connects
RedisAirtable

The problem it solves

If you offer an API to customers, a handful of them can accidentally or deliberately flood it with requests, slowing things down or driving up your costs. Manually watching usage and cutting off abusers isn't realistic at any scale.

Who it fits

SaaS businesses or developers offering an API to customers who need usage limits enforced automatically.

How it works

  1. A request comes in with the customer's API key
  2. The system counts how many requests that key has made recently
  3. If the count passes the allowed limit, the request is blocked
  4. Usage data is tracked in Airtable so you can review it
What you get

Protection from customers overwhelming your API

You keep your API running smoothly for every customer even when usage spikes unexpectedly.

What you get

Automatic blocking of over-limit API requests and a running record of usage per customer.

What you need

A Redis database, an Airtable account, and a way to receive incoming API requests.

We can build this. But should you?

The hard question is not how to build it. It is whether this is the right thing to build first.

That is what a Fractional Chief AI Officer figures out with you, before anyone writes a line of code.

Let's Talk Strategy

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