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+---
+type: reference, howto
+---
+
+# Rate limits
+
+NOTE: **Note:**
+For GitLab.com, please see
+[GitLab.com-specific rate limits](../user/gitlab_com/index.md#gitlabcom-specific-rate-limits).
+
+Rate limiting is a common technique used to improve the security and durability
+of a web application.
+
+For example, a simple script can make thousands of web requests per second.
+Whether malicious, apathetic, or just a bug, your application and infrastructure
+may not be able to cope with the load. For more details, see
+[Denial-of-service attack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack).
+Most cases can be mitigated by limiting the rate of requests from a single IP address.
+
+Most [brute-force attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brute-force_attack) are
+similarly mitigated by a rate limit.
+
+## Admin Area settings
+
+See
+[User and IP rate limits](../user/admin_area/settings/user_and_ip_rate_limits.md).
+
+## Rack Attack initializer
+
+This method of rate limiting is cumbersome, but has some advantages. It allows
+throttling of specific paths, and is also integrated into Git and container
+registry requests. See [Rack Attack initializer](rack_attack.md).