rate limit was per-endpoint not per-key — the agent applied one

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Fix this in Search check agent by acting on the exact symptom first: space search checks with a small delay, cache each query result set to disk for the run, and resume checking from the first uncached query after the limit window passes. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.

Rate limit hit mid workflow checking help center search results

Use this when

• Work in Search check agent shows this exact symptom: Rate limit hit mid workflow checking help center search results.
• The same symptom repeats after a retry with unchanged inputs.
• Readers or support agents are blocked until this item is corrected.

Not for this skill when

• The help center platform itself is down or returning outage notices. Resolve that first, then return here if this symptom remains.
• The content is correct and you only want a style or tone rewrite. That is an editorial pass, not this fix.

Steps

1. Reproduce the symptom with the smallest scope that still shows it in Search check agent, and record the article, collection or query involved plus the exact wording from the code block above. Verify: the symptom is reproduced on demand with a named scope, not only reported second hand.
2. Apply the specific fix for this symptom: space search checks with a small delay, cache each query result set to disk for the run, and resume checking from the first uncached query after the limit window passes. Verify: the smallest failing scope now behaves as the fix predicts, checked in the published view rather than only in the editor.
3. Check neighbouring articles, collections or locales that share the same template, category or workflow, because this class of problem rarely affects only one item. Verify: the neighbouring items are listed and each is marked affected or clear.
4. Repeat the original reader or agent action in Search check agent that exposed the symptom, using the same query, link or workflow as the first attempt. Verify: the action completes and the original symptom does not appear.
5. Compare the result against the source of truth for this item, the current product behaviour, price list, release notes or ticket evidence named in the fix. Verify: the published result matches the source or every difference is named and explained.
6. Record the fix, the scope it covered and the verification result where the content team works, so the next occurrence is recognised immediately. Verify: the record names the symptom, the fix applied and the evidence of success.

Variant phrasings

Rate limit hit mid workflow checking help center search results

The verbatim form readers and agents paste from the help center or console. Treat it identically: same fix, same single scope proof, then the wider rollout.

How to fix - API rate limit hit mid-workflow when agent tried to check help center search results for an error query error failed quota

The how to phrasing for the same problem in Search check agent. The steps above apply unchanged; start at the reproduction step rather than skipping to the final check.

Search check agent troubleshooting for this symptom

The symptom first phrasing used when the full message is hidden. Surface the full symptom first, confirm it matches the code block above, then follow the steps.

Why it happens

Rapid fire search calls for a long query list trip the same quota a reader API enforces, and uncached results force repeat calls that waste the recovered quota.

Edge cases

• The symptom appears in one locale, collection or audience view only. Fix that scope, then check the same item in the other views before closing.
• A cached or indexed copy keeps showing the old state after the fix. Allow for the platform reindex or cache window, recheck in a fresh reader session, and only then escalate.
• Two items have near identical titles. Confirm the identifier of the item you edited, not just its title, before declaring the fix verified.

Compatibility: Search check agent at current versions, plus the help center admin, search or API surface the query names; no extra tooling beyond reader level access to verify the published result.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/psthel8R-IRe8QOVFGsjsxlw

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/psthel8R-IRe8QOVFGsjsxlw

Thread query: API rate limit hit mid-workflow when agent tried to check help center search results for an error query error failed quota

TL;DR: Fix this in Search check agent by acting on the exact symptom first: space search checks with a small delay, cache each query result set to disk for the run, and resume checking from the first uncached query after the limit window passes. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR: Read the real rate limit from the API docs and response headers, then throttle the client to 1 request per second with a proper queue. The 10k failed jobs failed because the client assumed a limit 50x the real one. After re-queueing at the correct pace, the jobs complete.

Crunchbase enrichment agent assumed 50 req/sec but the key was throttled to 1 req/sec  -  10k queued jobs all failed

1. Check the documented limit for the key's plan and confirm it in a response header on a test call. Expected: the real limit is 1 request per second.
2. Stop the failed queue and count how many jobs failed versus completed. Expected: nearly all 10k failed with throttle errors.
3. Add a rate limiter to the client: one request per second max, with a small safety margin under it. Expected: a 10-request test batch takes about 10 seconds and all succeed.
4. Re-queue the failed jobs and monitor the first hundred. Expected: success rate near 100 percent with no throttle errors.

Use this when

• A bulk enrichment queue fails en masse with rate-limit or throttle errors
• The client was built against an assumed rate limit that was never verified
• Re-running the queue at the assumed pace fails the same way

Not for this skill when

• Jobs fail with 401 or 403, which means the key is invalid or the plan lapsed
• The throttle errors persist even at 1 request per second (the key may be further restricted, check the plan)
• The failures are data errors on specific companies, not rate errors

Variant phrasings

Crunchbase API throttling enrichment jobs at 1 req per second

Bulk Crunchbase queue failed, assumed wrong rate limit

Crunchbase key throttled, 10k jobs failed

Why it happens

Rate limits vary by plan, and the number a developer remembers from the docs is often the top-tier figure. A client hardcoded to 50 per second against a key limited to 1 per second burns through the quota instantly, and every queued job fails. The limit is per key, so no amount of retrying at the same pace helps.

Edge cases

• Failed jobs that partially wrote results before failing: dedupe by company ID on re-queue so nothing gets enriched twice
• Burst allowances: some plans allow short bursts above the sustained rate, but do not build the steady-state pace on the burst figure
• Plan upgrades change the limit: re-read the documented limit after any billing change instead of trusting the old number

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_6O49iKHiuf5qp2DOxpG18g

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_6O49iKHiuf5qp2DOxpG18g

Thread query: Crunchbase enrichment agent assumed 50 req/sec but the key was throttled to 1 req/sec - 10k queued jobs all failed

TL;DR:

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Sleep ~1.1s and retry with backoff instead of declaring the key dead. - Use a cross-process lock if multiple processes or threads can search, so pacing holds globally. - Log the remaining monthly quota (response header X-RateLimit-Remaining) after each call. Read that line before concluding the key is exhausted. - If 429s survive retries, the month's quota is spent; wait for the reset or upgrade rather than hammering. Brave Search API free tier: 1 request/second, 2,000/month.

Fix

1. Sleep ~1.1s and retry with backoff instead of declaring the key dead. - Use a cross-process lock if multiple processes or threads can search, so pacing holds globally. - Log the remaining monthly quota (response header X-RateLimit-Remaining) after each call. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

2. Read that line before concluding the key is exhausted. - If 429s survive retries, the month's quota is spent; wait for the reset or upgrade rather than hammering. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

3. Rate-limit headers (X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset) are your pacing source of truth; use X-RateLimit-Reset for the backoff instead of guessing. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

When to use

• You are setting up or using this Brave Search API free tier feature.
• The symptom matches: 1 req/sec, so serialize calls and retry 429s.

When NOT to use

• Unrelated Brave Search API free tier issues (different feature, different failure).
• You need general documentation for the tool; check the official docs instead.

Compatibility

Reported against Brave Search API free tier.

Variant phrasings

1 req/sec, so serialize calls and retry 429s

Why it happens

Web (agent-config brave-search SKILL.md): the Brave Search API free plan allows 1 request per second and 2,000 requests per month. The documented rule: never issue calls in parallel; one query at a time. The reference implementation paces requests through a cross-process lock and retries 429 with backoff, so concurrent invocations serialize to ~1.1s apiece instead of failing. Every run prints the remaining monthly quota (e.g. "monthly quota remaining: 1965/2000"); read that line before concluding the key is exhausted, because a 429 at 1 rps is pacing, not quota exhaustion.

Edge cases

• If your error message differs even slightly, this is probably a different issue; search the exact text.
• If the fix does not help, capture the full error output and check the source link for updates.

Web (agent-config brave-search SKILL.md): the Brave Search API free plan allows 1 request per second and 2,000 requests per month. The documented rule: never issue calls in parallel; one query at a time. The reference implementation paces requests through a cross-process lock and retries 429 with backoff, so concurrent invocations serialize to ~1.1s apiece instead of failing. Every run prints the remaining monthly quota (e.g. "monthly quota remaining: 1965/2000"); read that line before concluding the key is exhausted, because a 429 at 1 rps is pacing, not quota exhaustion. Resolved: Brave Search API free tier: 1 request/second, 2,000/month. Treat these as hard rules: - Never run searches in parallel. One query at a time; refine from the result before issuing the next. - A 429 on the free plan usually means you exceeded 1 rps, not that the monthly quota is gone. Sleep ~1.1s and retry with backoff instead of declaring the key dead. - Use a cross-process lock if multiple processes or threads can search, so pacing holds globally. - Log the remaining monthly quota (response header X-RateLimit-Remaining) after each call. Read that line before concluding the key is exhausted. - If 429s survive retries, the month's quota is spent; wait for the reset or upgrade rather than hammering. Rate-limit headers (X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset) are your paci Source: https://github.com/junghan0611/agent-config/blob/HEAD/skills/brave-search/SKILL.md