What does API rate limiting achieve?

API rate limiting is primarily designed to control how many requests a user can make to an API within a specified time frame. This practice serves several essential purposes: it helps prevent abuse of the API by limiting excessive calls from a single user, which could otherwise degrade performance for all users. By setting specific limits, the API can maintain better overall responsiveness and availability, ensuring that resources are fairly allocated and preventing a single user from monopolizing access.

While options relating to decreasing response time, evaluating popularity, or ensuring equal access do touch on important aspects of API management, they do not directly describe the primary function of rate limiting. Rate limiting specifically focuses on managing the volume of requests to maintain system integrity and performance.