What is rate limiting — CCA-F Exam Prep

PencilPrepPencilPrep
L1.05|What is rate limiting
1/12
Real story
A graveyard of app icons — dead Twitter bots, research tools, indie apps — all with 'X' eyes. In the background, the Twitter/X logo behind a gate that reads 'API: $42,000/month.' Dark, somber mood.

Twitter killed thousands of apps with one API change.

For years, Twitter's API was free and generous. Developers built research tools, bots, analytics platforms, accessibility apps — an entire ecosystem. Thousands of businesses depended on it.

In February 2023, Twitter announced: free API access now gets you 1,500 tweets per month. The next tier? $42,000 per month. No middle ground.

Overnight, thousands of apps died. Academic research projects ended. Indie developers lost their livelihoods. Rate limiting isn't just technical — it's a business weapon.