HTTP rate limits and Retry-After

When an API returns HTTP 429, examine Retry-After before retrying. The header can express an HTTP date or a non-negative number of seconds. Schedule the next attempt after that interval; a rate-limit response is not an empty successful search. Retry-After can also accompany HTTP 503 or a redirect. Use bounded retries and preserve the original failure when the retry budget is exhausted. Reviewed September 19, 2026. The bounded-retry recommendation is Koskamo editorial guidance, not an additional requirement of the HTTP header.