Implementing a Timestamp-Based Rate Limiter for Next.js API Routes

Overview

In this tutorial, we will learn how to implement a simple, timestamp-based rate limiter for Next.js API routes. Rate limiting is a technique that helps protect your API from excessive usage or abuse. By implementing rate limiting, you can control the number of requests a user can make within a given time frame, ensuring that your API remains stable and available to all users.

Implementing a Timestamp-Based Rate Limiter for Next.js API Routes / Photo by Makarios Tang on Unsplash

Step 1: Overview of the Problem with Example Endpoint

Let’s start with an example API endpoint in a Next.js project. This API endpoint fetches data from a data source and returns it as a JSON response. We will use this endpoint to demonstrate how to add a rate limiter.

// pages/api/data.js

export default async function handler(req, res) {
  if (req.method === 'GET') {
    // Fetch data from a data source and return it as JSON
    const data = await fetchData();
    res.status(200).json(data);
  } else {
    res.setHeader('Allow', 'GET');
    res.status(405).end(`Method ${req.method} Not Allowed`);
  }
}

Step 2: Adding Rate Limiter to the Endpoint

To add a rate limiter to our API endpoint, we will maintain an in-memory store to keep track of the request…