Adaptive retry
A retry strategy that adjusts wait times based on the type of failure network timeouts get short retries; API rate limit errors get longer, jitter-randomised backoffs. Smarter than fixed-interval retries and reduces API hammering.
Expert insight
Adaptive retry logic that adjusts its backoff based on the type of error received (a rate limit vs. a server error vs. a genuine bad request) is more effective than a fixed retry schedule, since retrying a request that failed due to invalid data will never succeed no matter how many times or how patiently it's retried, that class of error needs a different handling path entirely.
In a real workflow
When an API starts returning rate limit errors, the workflow slows its retries based on the Retry-After header.
Common mistakes
- Fixed retry delays that ignore what the server says.
- Adaptive logic nobody can explain.
Complexity level
Technical term used in production automation systems.
Related terms
Retry logic
Automatic re-execution of a failed automation step after a delay. Best practice …
Backoff (exponential)
A retry strategy where each successive retry waits progressively longer e.g., 10…
Rate limit backpressure
Slowing down the producer of a workflow (e.g., a data import) when the consumer …
See it in action
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