Introducing Django Smart Ratelimit v0.7.0: The Ultimate Solution for Intelligent Rate Limiting in Django Applications

As Django developers, ensuring your application’s APIs and endpoints are protected without compromising user experience is a constant challenge. Today, we’re excited to present the latest release of Django Smart Ratelimit, version 0.7.0 — a comprehensive and innovative rate limiting library designed to meet these needs with advanced features and robust performance.

What’s New in Version 0.7.0?

• Implementation of the Token Bucket Algorithm: This sophisticated approach to rate limiting now allows your applications to handle traffic spikes gracefully. Unlike traditional methods, the token bucket algorithm permits bursts of activity without exceeding predefined long-term limits, ensuring smoother user interactions during peak times.

• Enhanced Type Safety: Fully compliant with mypy, this release guarantees strict type checking, helping developers catch potential issues early and maintain high code quality.

• Improved Security Measures: Integrated with Bandit security scanner, all known vulnerabilities have been addressed, making this library more secure than ever.

• Compatibility with Modern Python and Django Versions: Designed to work seamlessly with Python 3.13 and Django 5.1, ensuring you can leverage the latest features and improvements.

• Extensive Testing for Reliability: Over 340 tests have been implemented, aligning this tool for production deployment.

Why Choose the Token Bucket Algorithm?

Traditional rate limiting methods often block users prematurely at reset points, creating a frustrating experience, especially during traffic surges. The token bucket approach improves upon this by allowing controlled bursts, offering a better balance between protecting your infrastructure and providing a smooth user experience. This makes it ideal for applications with mobile interfaces, batch processing, or scenarios involving API retries.

Example Comparison:

Old method—strictly blocks users at reset:

python
@rate_limit(key='user', rate='100/h')

New method—permits bursts with intelligent handling:

python
@rate_limit(
key='user',
rate='100/h',
algorithm='token_bucket',
algorithm_config={'bucket_size': 200}
)

Key Features of Django Smart Ratelimit:

• Lightning-fast response times, often under a millisecond
• Support for three algorithms: token_bucket, sliding_window, fixed_window
• Multiple backend options including Redis, in-memory, database, and multi-backend configurations
• Seamless integration with Django REST Framework (DR