Source API throws 429 errors, how do I handle it cleanly?

429 means too many requests in a time window. Brute retries amplify the problem. The right response is waiting exactly as long as the source says, and structuring your flow to stay under the limit.

Try this first

1. 1Read the Retry-After header and wait that long. Don't tack on your own 30 seconds.
2. 2Check the docs for rate-limit budget per minute or per hour. Build your flow with throttle (Delay step, Sleep node) under that limit.
3. 3Split batch work across smaller runs over time: 100 records now, 100 in 5 minutes, instead of 500 at once.
4. 4For APIs with a leaky-bucket model: spread calls evenly instead of burst-and-wait. That often nets more throughput than peak load.
5. 5Track your own per-minute counter in a Data Store. As you near your quota, wait proactively instead of waiting for 429.

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