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Rate Limiting in Go: Token Bucket vs Sliding Window

Token bucket and sliding window solve related problems, but they create different user experiences and operational tradeoffs.

A
Ajay
·11 min read

Token Bucket

Token bucket is flexible and burst-friendly. It's a strong default for APIs that want to allow brief spikes without losing control.

Sliding Window

Sliding window gives tighter fairness and clearer boundaries, especially for user-facing quotas and abuse prevention.

Choosing the Right One

Choose based on fairness, burst tolerance, and the operational simplicity your team can realistically maintain.

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