# API Rate Limiting Best Practices

## Overview
This document outlines the standard rate limiting policies for our public API endpoints.

## Tiers
| Tier | Rate Limit | Burst | Use Case |
|------|-----------|-------|----------|
| Free | 100 req/min | 20 | Development, testing |
| Pro | 1000 req/min | 100 | Production apps |
| Enterprise | 5000 req/min | 500 | High-traffic services |

## Headers
All responses include rate limit headers:
- `X-RateLimit-Limit`: Maximum requests per window
- `X-RateLimit-Remaining`: Requests remaining
- `X-RateLimit-Reset`: Unix timestamp when window resets

## Best Practices
1. Implement exponential backoff on 429 responses
2. Cache responses locally when possible
3. Use bulk endpoints for batch operations
4. Monitor your usage via the dashboard

## Contact
For rate limit increases, contact api-support@example.com with your use case.