API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns · Lesson

Sliding Window Log Implementation

Understand the Sliding Window Log algorithm, its precision, and the storage implications for tracking individual request timestamps.

Sliding Window Log Implementation is a free API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Intro to Sliding Window Log

Welcome to the Sliding Window Log algorithm! This method offers a highly precise way to enforce API rate limits.

Unlike simpler methods, it keeps a detailed record of each request, allowing for very accurate control over traffic.

The Timestamp Log Core

The core idea of the Sliding Window Log is to store the exact timestamp of every request made by a client.

Imagine a list or array.
Each time a request is made, its current time (e.g., in milliseconds) is added to this list.
This log allows us to precisely track activity over any given period.

Logging New Requests

When a new request arrives, the algorithm performs two main steps:

It records the current time and adds it to the list of request timestamps.
It then cleans up old timestamps that are no longer relevant to the current 'sliding' window.

This ensures the log only contains recent, active requests.

Checking the Sliding Window

To determine if a new request should be allowed, the algorithm calculates a sliding window.

For a 60-second limit, if the current time is T, the window covers requests from T - 60 seconds to T.
It counts how many timestamps in the log fall within this calculated window.
If the count is below the allowed limit, the request is permitted.

Visualizing Window Movement

Think of the window as a continuous period that 'slides' forward with each new request.

If your limit is 3 requests per 5 seconds:

At t=0, window is [-5s, 0s].
At t=2s, window is [-3s, 2s].
At t=6s, window is [1s, 6s].

Only timestamps within the current sliding window are counted.

Limiter Class Setup

Let's set up a basic Java class for our Sliding Window Log rate limiter. We'll use an ArrayList to store the request timestamps.

Try running this to see the initial setup:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter {
    private final List<Long> requestTimestamps;
    private final long windowSizeMillis; // e.g., 60_000 for 60 seconds
    private final int maxRequests;

    public SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter(long windowSize, TimeUnit unit, int maxRequests) {
        this.requestTimestamps = new ArrayList<>();
        this.windowSizeMillis = unit.toMillis(windowSize);
        this.maxRequests = maxRequests;
    }

    // The allowRequest() method will be added next!
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Rate Limiter setup complete!");
    }
}

Implementing allowRequest()

Now, let's implement the core logic for the allowRequest() method. This method will remove old timestamps and check if the current request can be allowed.

Run the code to see a simple test of the rate limiter in action!

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter {
    private final List<Long> requestTimestamps;
    private final long windowSizeMillis;
    private final int maxRequests;

    public SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter(long windowSize, TimeUnit unit, int maxRequests) {
        this.requestTimestamps = new ArrayList<>();
        this.windowSizeMillis = unit.toMillis(windowSize);
        this.maxRequests = maxRequests;
    }

    public synchronized boolean allowRequest() {
        long currentTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
        long windowStartTime = currentTime - windowSizeMillis;

        // Remove timestamps older than the current window
        requestTimestamps.removeIf(timestamp -> timestamp <= windowStartTime);

        // Check if adding a new request would exceed the limit
        if (requestTimestamps.size() < maxRequests) {
            requestTimestamps.add(currentTime);
            return true;
        }
        return false;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
        // Example: 3 requests allowed per 5 seconds
        SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter limiter =
            new SlidingWindowLogRateLimiter(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, 3);

        System.out.println("Testing 5s, 3 requests limit:");
        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
            boolean allowed = limiter.allowRequest();
            System.out.println("Request " + (i + 1) + ": " + (allowed ? "Allowed" : "Blocked"));
            if (i == 2) Thread.sleep(1000); // Small delay to simulate real traffic
        }
        // Wait for the window to pass to allow more requests
        System.out.println("Waiting 5 seconds for window reset...");
        Thread.sleep(5000);
        System.out.println("Request after window reset: " + (limiter.allowRequest() ? "Allowed" : "Blocked"));
    }
}

Key Advantage: High Precision

The biggest strength of the Sliding Window Log algorithm is its high precision.

Because it records every individual timestamp, it can accurately calculate the number of requests within any dynamic window.
This eliminates the 'burstiness' problem seen in Fixed Window Counters, where a sudden spike at the window's edge could bypass limits.

The Memory & Performance Challenge

While precise, the Sliding Window Log has significant drawbacks, especially for high-volume APIs:

Memory Usage: Storing every timestamp for millions of requests can consume a lot of memory.
Performance: Operations like adding new timestamps and removing old ones (especially with large lists) can become slow, impacting performance.

This makes it less suitable for extremely high-throughput systems unless optimized.

Check Your Understanding

Consider the Sliding Window Log algorithm. Which of the following statements are true about its characteristics?

Recap: Sliding Window Log

In this lesson, we explored the Sliding Window Log algorithm:

It tracks every request by its exact timestamp.
It offers high precision, avoiding the 'burst' issue of fixed windows.
Its main drawbacks are high memory usage and potential performance bottlenecks for very large request logs.

Next, we'll look at the Sliding Window Counter, which aims to improve on these drawbacks!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Sliding Window Log Implementation” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Sliding Window Log Implementation” is free to read here on the web, and the API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Sliding Window Log Implementation”?

Understand the Sliding Window Log algorithm, its precision, and the storage implications for tracking individual request timestamps. You practise API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns?

No prior experience is required. API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Sliding Window Log Implementation” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns lesson?

Yes. Every API Rate Limiting & Scalability Patterns lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

Sliding Window Log Implementation
Sliding Window Counter Strategy
Algorithm Comparison and Trade-offs
Sliding Window with Sorted Sets in Redis

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