Which is Better Node.js Rate Limiting Libraries?
express-rate-limit vs rate-limiter-flexible vs express-slow-down vs express-brute
1 Year
express-rate-limitrate-limiter-flexibleexpress-slow-downexpress-bruteSimilar Packages:
What's Node.js Rate Limiting Libraries?

Rate limiting libraries in Node.js are essential tools for controlling the number of requests a client can make to a server within a specified time frame. They help protect applications from abuse, such as denial-of-service attacks, and ensure fair usage among users. These libraries provide various strategies for implementing rate limiting, including in-memory storage, Redis support, and customizable response behaviors, making them versatile for different application needs.

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express-rate-limit1,300,2732,909117 kB5a month agoMIT
rate-limiter-flexible665,3323,072141 kB1925 days agoISC
express-slow-down22,24925980.4 kB06 months agoMIT
express-brute12,585564-218 years agoBSD
Feature Comparison: express-rate-limit vs rate-limiter-flexible vs express-slow-down vs express-brute

Flexibility

  • express-rate-limit: Express-rate-limit provides a simpler approach with basic configuration options. While it is less flexible than express-brute, it is sufficient for common use cases and allows for quick setup with minimal configuration.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Rate-limiter-flexible is highly flexible, supporting various storage options and allowing for dynamic rate limits based on user behavior. It can adapt to complex scenarios, making it suitable for applications with varying traffic patterns.
  • express-slow-down: Express-slow-down introduces flexibility in response behavior by allowing developers to slow down responses instead of blocking requests. This can be particularly useful in scenarios where you want to mitigate abuse without completely denying service.
  • express-brute: Express-brute offers extensive flexibility in defining rate limiting strategies, allowing developers to set limits based on various criteria such as IP address, user ID, or custom keys. It supports multiple storage backends, enabling tailored implementations for different application needs.

Performance

  • express-rate-limit: Express-rate-limit is lightweight and performs well for most applications. However, it may struggle under high concurrency if not configured properly, especially with in-memory storage. Using Redis can help mitigate performance issues in high-load scenarios.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Rate-limiter-flexible is optimized for performance, especially when using Redis as a backend. It is designed to handle high concurrency and large volumes of requests efficiently, making it suitable for scalable applications.
  • express-slow-down: Express-slow-down is designed to maintain performance while adding a delay for abusive clients. However, it can still impact overall response times if many clients are being slowed down simultaneously, so it should be used judiciously.
  • express-brute: Express-brute can introduce performance overhead depending on the storage backend used. In-memory storage is fast, but for larger applications, using Redis or MongoDB may add latency. Careful consideration of the storage choice is essential for maintaining performance.

Ease of Use

  • express-rate-limit: Express-rate-limit is straightforward and easy to integrate into existing Express applications. Its simple API allows developers to quickly set up rate limiting with minimal effort, making it ideal for beginners or quick implementations.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Rate-limiter-flexible offers a moderate learning curve. While it provides powerful features, developers may need to familiarize themselves with its API and configuration options to fully leverage its capabilities.
  • express-slow-down: Express-slow-down is also easy to use, especially for those familiar with express-rate-limit. It can be quickly added to an application to provide additional control over response behavior without complex configurations.
  • express-brute: Express-brute has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive configuration options and flexibility. Developers may need to invest time in understanding its API and how to implement custom strategies effectively.

Use Cases

  • express-rate-limit: Express-rate-limit is perfect for standard use cases where you want to limit requests based on IP address, such as APIs or public-facing applications. It is a go-to solution for most basic rate limiting needs.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Rate-limiter-flexible is designed for high-performance applications that need dynamic and flexible rate limiting. It is suitable for large-scale applications with varying traffic patterns and user behaviors.
  • express-slow-down: Express-slow-down is useful in situations where you want to discourage abusive behavior without completely blocking users. It is ideal for applications that want to maintain user engagement while mitigating abuse.
  • express-brute: Express-brute is best suited for applications that require complex rate limiting strategies, such as those needing to limit requests based on user roles or specific actions. It is ideal for scenarios where different users or clients need different limits.

Community and Support

  • express-rate-limit: Express-rate-limit has a larger community and is widely used, leading to a wealth of resources, examples, and community support available for developers. This makes it easier to find solutions to common issues.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Rate-limiter-flexible has a growing community and is gaining popularity, which means more resources and support are becoming available. Its documentation is comprehensive, aiding developers in implementation.
  • express-slow-down: Express-slow-down, being a part of the express-rate-limit ecosystem, benefits from similar community support and documentation. However, it may have fewer dedicated resources compared to more popular libraries.
  • express-brute: Express-brute has a smaller community compared to other libraries, which may result in fewer resources and examples available for troubleshooting. However, it is still well-documented and has a dedicated user base.
How to Choose: express-rate-limit vs rate-limiter-flexible vs express-slow-down vs express-brute
  • express-rate-limit: Choose express-rate-limit for a straightforward, easy-to-use rate limiting middleware that works well for most applications. It is perfect for simple use cases where you want to limit requests based on IP address and provides built-in support for various response formats when limits are exceeded.
  • rate-limiter-flexible: Choose rate-limiter-flexible if you require a highly flexible and performant rate limiting solution that supports Redis and in-memory storage. It offers advanced features like dynamic limits, multiple strategies, and the ability to handle large-scale applications with high concurrency.
  • express-slow-down: Choose express-slow-down if you want to implement a strategy that slows down responses for clients that exceed a certain request threshold, rather than outright blocking them. This is useful for reducing the impact of abusive clients without completely denying service.
  • express-brute: Choose express-brute if you need a highly customizable rate limiting solution that supports multiple backends for storing state, such as memory, Redis, or MongoDB. It allows for complex strategies like IP-based or user-based limits and provides hooks for custom behavior on limit exceedance.
README for express-rate-limit

express-rate-limit

tests npm version npm downloads license

Basic rate-limiting middleware for Express. Use to limit repeated requests to public APIs and/or endpoints such as password reset. Plays nice with express-slow-down and ratelimit-header-parser.

Usage

The full documentation is available on-line.

import { rateLimit } from 'express-rate-limit'

const limiter = rateLimit({
	windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
	limit: 100, // Limit each IP to 100 requests per `window` (here, per 15 minutes).
	standardHeaders: 'draft-7', // draft-6: `RateLimit-*` headers; draft-7: combined `RateLimit` header
	legacyHeaders: false, // Disable the `X-RateLimit-*` headers.
	// store: ... , // Redis, Memcached, etc. See below.
})

// Apply the rate limiting middleware to all requests.
app.use(limiter)

Data Stores

The rate limiter comes with a built-in memory store, and supports a variety of external data stores.

Configuration

All function options may be async. Click the name for additional info and default values.

| Option | Type | Remarks | | -------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | windowMs | number | How long to remember requests for, in milliseconds. | | limit | number | function | How many requests to allow. | | message | string | json | function | Response to return after limit is reached. | | statusCode | number | HTTP status code after limit is reached (default is 429). | | handler | function | Function to run after limit is reached (overrides message and statusCode settings, if set). | | legacyHeaders | boolean | Enable the X-Rate-Limit header. | | standardHeaders | 'draft-6' | 'draft-7' | Enable the Ratelimit header. | | store | Store | Use a custom store to share hit counts across multiple nodes. | | passOnStoreError | boolean | Allow (true) or block (false, default) traffic if the store becomes unavailable. | | keyGenerator | function | Identify users (defaults to IP address). | | requestPropertyName | string | Add rate limit info to the req object. | | skip | function | Return true to bypass the limiter for the given request. | | skipSuccessfulRequests | boolean | Uncount 1xx/2xx/3xx responses. | | skipFailedRequests | boolean | Uncount 4xx/5xx responses. | | requestWasSuccessful | function | Used by skipSuccessfulRequests and skipFailedRequests. | | validate | boolean | object | Enable or disable built-in validation checks. |

Thank You

Sponsored by Zuplo a fully-managed API Gateway for developers. Add dynamic rate-limiting, authentication and more to any API in minutes. Learn more at zuplo.com

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Thanks to Mintlify for hosting the documentation at express-rate-limit.mintlify.app

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Finally, thank you to everyone who's contributed to this project in any way! 🫶

Issues and Contributing

If you encounter a bug or want to see something added/changed, please go ahead and open an issue! If you need help with something, feel free to start a discussion!

If you wish to contribute to the library, thanks! First, please read the contributing guide. Then you can pick up any issue and fix/implement it!

License

MIT © Nathan Friedly, Vedant K