How Developers Handle Lots of API Requests Without Crashes?

In today’s digital world, frontend applications have evolved beyond just simple UI. They are now dynamic systems capable of handling millions of users at the same time. Whether it’s an online store during a big sale, a financial app showing transactions in real-time, or a social media feed that keeps updating, frontend developers play a crucial role in managing a large number of requests from users.

Dealing with millions of requests isn’t just a challenge for the backend (the part of the website or app that users don’t see). If the frontend isn’t designed well, it can put too much pressure on servers, slow down applications, and lead to a poor experience for users. This article will explore practical strategies that frontend developers can use to efficiently manage this high level of user activity without causing systems to crash, while still ensuring that everything runs smoothly and reliably.

Understand the Costs of Using APIs

Every time you make a request to an API (which is a way for different software programs to communicate), there are costs involved. These can include waiting time, how much work the server has to do, accessing databases, and using up internet bandwidth. It’s important for developers to remember that APIs are valuable resources, not just endless sources of information.

Before you decide to make a request, consider these questions:

• Is this request really needed?
• Can I use the same information again instead of asking for it again?
• Can I combine several requests into one to save resources?

Try to avoid asking for information repeatedly, especially if you’re just checking to see if something has changed. Also, don’t fetch a lot of data when you only need a small part of it. Being thoughtful about how we use APIs is a key step toward building systems that can grow and handle more users effectively.

Use Smart Caching Techniques

Caching is a powerful way to lighten the load on APIs, which are the connections between different software.

Client-Side Caching

Modern frontend frameworks and tools make caching easier:
Browser cache using HTTP cache headers.

• Browser Cache: This stores copies of web pages temporarily, so when you revisit a site, it loads faster.
• In-Memory Caching: Libraries like React Query, SWR, and Apollo Client can keep data in memory, allowing for quick access without asking the server again.
• Local Storage or IndexedDB: These are ways to keep data on your device, so it stays available even if you close your browser.

By remembering previous API responses, applications can provide information quickly without needing to contact the server constantly.

Cache Invalidation

However, caching is most useful when the information stays correct and up to date. It’s important to have strategies for ensuring accuracy, such as:

• Time-based Expiration: Setting a timer that automatically clears out old data.
• Background Revalidation: Checking for new data while the app is running, so users see the latest information.
• Conditional Requests: Using tags that tell the server to only send data if it has changed.

By using effective caching strategies, you can significantly reduce the number of requests made to APIs, making your applications faster and more efficient.

Read Also: Is AI Ready for Custom Software Development? Hype vs Reality

Use Pagination, Lazy Loading, and Infinite Scrolling

When we’re dealing with large amounts of data, trying to load it all at once can slow things down significantly. Here are three effective methods to improve loading times and overall performance:

By using these techniques, we can create a smoother and faster experience for everyone!

Pagination
Instead of loading everything at once, break the data into smaller pieces. Think of it like turning the pages of a book users can view a few items at a time. This means that the initial load is quicker because there’s less information to process at once.

Lazy Loading
This approach is all about efficiency. It involves loading elements only when they are actually needed. For example, images will only appear when they come into view on the screen, and other parts of the page might load only when the user clicks a tab or opens a menu. This way, the system doesn’t get overwhelmed with information all at once.

Infinite Scrolling
For lists or feeds, infinite scrolling allows users to continuously see more information as they scroll down, rather than loading everything upfront. This helps to ease the initial load time and spreads out the requests for data, which helps avoid overwhelming the system.

Managing User Actions to Prevent Overload

When we interact with websites or apps, we might unintentionally make them work too hard by sending too many requests for information. Here are a few common situations where this happens:

• When we’re typing in a search box, the system might try to find results for every single letter we type.
• Scrolling down a page can trigger additional data to load.
• Clicking buttons rapidly can lead to multiple requests being sent at once.

To solve these issues, we can use two strategies: debouncing and throttling.

Debouncing: This technique makes sure that a request for information is only sent after you’ve stopped typing or interacting for a short period. For instance, if you take a moment after typing in a search, it will only then ask for results, rather than with each letter.

Throttling: This limits how many requests can be made in a certain amount of time. Even if you keep interacting, the system will only respond a few times within that set period.

Using debouncing and throttling helps prevent overwhelming the system while also making for a smoother and more enjoyable experience for users.

Improve How We Handle State and Refresh Data

Sometimes, managing data the wrong way can lead to repeated and unnecessary calls to online services. Here are some helpful tips to avoid this issue:

• Try not to get data inside parts of your app that change often.
• Keep your data-fetching organized in separate sections or functions.
• Use techniques to remember data so you don’t have to fetch it again if it hasn’t changed.

Tools like GenCodex can make handling data easier and help reduce wasting time and resources on repeated requests.

Combining API Requests for Efficiency

Instead of making several small requests to get information, it’s better to combine them into one single request.

For example:

• You can get a user’s profile, settings, and permissions all at once.
• By using a method called GraphQL, you can ask for only the specific information you need.
• Create backend endpoints that provide all the necessary information in one response.

By batching these requests, you can minimize the amount of data being transferred, speed up the process, and make it easier for the front end to manage the information.

Handle Failures Gracefully

When building websites or apps that many people use at once, it’s important to expect that sometimes things will go wrong. Here are some simple ways to make sure your app stays functional even during these tough times:

Retry Logic
When an action fails, instead of continuously trying to do it again right away, plan to wait a bit before trying again. This helps to avoid overwhelming the system if there’s a problem.

Fallback UI
If something goes wrong, instead of showing an error or a blank screen, show users a saved version of the information they need, or display a friendly message explaining the issue.

Circuit Breaker Pattern
If a service your app relies on isn’t working well, stop trying to ask it for information for a while. Let users know that there’s a problem, so they’re not left in the dark.

By managing failures like this, you can keep your app running smoothly and prevent larger issues from happening.

Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

Content Delivery Networks, or CDNs, are helpful tools for delivering content quickly and efficiently. They can significantly lighten the load on your main servers, especially when it comes to serving common files and API results.

Here’s how it works:

• Deliver static files from a CDN: Instead of pulling files directly from your main server, use a CDN to send these files. This helps in speeding up access for users.
• Cache public API responses: Storing (or “caching”) the results of frequently requested data closer to users means they can get answers faster.
• Choose locations close to users: A CDN has servers in different parts of the world, allowing users to connect to a nearby server. This reduces the time it takes to access information.

Using CDNs is a smart way to handle sudden increases in website traffic and to improve user experience across the globe!

Read Also: When Low-Code/No-Code Development Works & When It Doesn’t

Keep an Eye on Performance and Improve Regularly

To make things better, you first need to know how they’re doing.

Monitoring tools can help us keep track of several important things, such as:

• How quickly our systems respond to requests
• The number of errors that occur
• The volume of requests we receive
• How users interact with our service

Using tools that measure performance in web browsers, dashboards that show application health, and systems that log information, teams can spot issues early and make improvements before they become bigger problems. This ongoing check helps ensure everything runs smoothly for users.

10. Work Together with Backend Teams

Making frontend systems work well is something we all need to do together. Here are some key points for effective teamwork:

• Set Limits on Data Requests: It’s important to agree on how often the frontend can ask for data from the backend.
• Create Clear Agreements on Data: Both teams should understand and agree on how data will be shared and used.
• Coordinate on Caching: Work together on strategies for storing frequently used data to speed things up.
• Prepare for Busy Times: Plan for situations when a lot of users might access the service at once.

When frontend developers understand the limitations of backend systems, they can create applications that perform well even when there’s a lot of demand.

Conclusion

Managing a large number of API requests goes beyond simply having fast servers; it requires smart design choices for the frontend of applications. By using methods such as managing multiple requests at once, grouping similar requests together, storing information for quick access, and retrying when things go wrong, applications can grow smoothly without causing frustration for users or putting too much strain on the system.

This is where GenCodex comes in an advanced API generation tool designed to streamline and accelerate the development of APIs.. As an easy-to-use platform for building applications, GenCodex makes it simple to implement these advanced techniques. It automatically creates tools to connect to APIs, manages data storage, integrates services, and provides real-time insights into performance. Instead of spending a lot of time setting everything up, developers can concentrate on creating new features while GenCodex takes care of making sure everything works well and follows best practices.