Getting rate limit warnings despite just browsing normally

[ilyvion]

This is the second time in two days that I've had an event where these rate limit warnings suddenly start popping up and then basically constantly do so until the time shown is reached. Then they die down for a bit, but sometimes they comes back again not long after.

I don't know what provokes them, as I'm just browsing the site normally. I also don't quite understand the effect of the rate limiting as the site appears to keep functioning as normal despite the regular stream of pop-ups.

[jakesmolka]

Had similar issues, while I'm far from power-using Mastodon the last days.

[norrs]

I get this on first "page load", and more or less after each "action" I do afterwards when I'm allowed to do my next "action" after the rate limit tell me I can try again.

This is not a random one-off, they happen every time I try to use/browse Mastodon this week. I've tried both he mobile app, or using the browser (and uninstalled app in case it was doing background API calls and being a offensive rude client(?)) without any change in being getting a change of behaviour.

I usually try to consume my social media when I'm on public transport, which is usually 20 minutes each way back and from work .. and I simply give up as waiting (due to being rate limited) for what feels like "each API call" is rather daunting, so I simply leave my phone to do other things instead.
(This is in no way me complaining about Nova gracious hosting the service, I simply want to share my experience and I believe they have the best intentions to run the service on a best effort basis. Edit: I also worry about the mentioned burnout, which also relates to #92 . Please always take care of yourself as first priority <3 )

Not sure if this is maybe some anti-attack filters going bad, or if the poor server(s) is having a hard time. But from the looks at the grafana graphs, it doesn't look like any particular high load either?

If anyone else is observing or experiencing this every time, you could indicate by thumping on this response. (I have no idea if I'm the only one having this issue every time I try to use Mastodon).

(Since it seems my experience is a bit different then OP, since I see like a "page of toots", then rate limited and no more content before I can do another action after rate limit. Could maybe be that I'm using "Slow mode"?)

EDIT/UPDATE: I might have found my silly mistake, as a user of multiple computers and devices .. make sure you kill browser tabs, don't leave them unattended and still opened after usage .... 😨

[wlonkly]

Those rate limits (which show as "Please retry after <time>") are part of Mastodon, see starting here. I don't know if Hachyderm has changed any of those defaults, but the library Mastodon uses there is pretty naive (someone proposed a leaky bucket several years ago but it went nowhere).

The default for the API (again, not sure if changed here) is 300 requests in a 5-minute window, by user if authenticated or by IP if unauthenticated. That "by user" would explain how tabs left open at home might affect you on the train!

[ilyvion]

@wlonkly Ah, that could be it. I don't have a habit of closing tabs when using services from multiple devices, since none of the previous ones I've used have had rate limits, or at least none I've encountered during what I'd consider "normal use." I'll try being more vigilant about it and see if it improves things, although old habits die hard.

[quintessence]

👋 Mod here - we do still have the rate limiting that is built into Mastodon. I think you might see the rate limiting mostly when migrating an account over to Hachyderm from a different server, depending on how many followers / following you have.

We did make some changes today. Please let us know if this issue persists.

[quintessence]

Going to go ahead and close for now - please let us know if this issue happens again.

[norrs]

For the record: My problems went away in regards of rate limiting after I killed my browsers with a zillion tabs at home.

[elcore]

Seems like the issue is still there

[quintessence]

👋 Mod here

In general if this is a new issue please open a new ticket - that helps us with tracking. For this one in particular: can you confirm if you're still experiencing it? If so I'll open a ticket on our internal tracker.

[elcore]

Sure, I’ll do that next time. I still can reproduce the issue.