{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "what-distributed-rate-limit-invariants-prevent-agents-from-collectively-exceeding-shared-api-quotas",
  "title": "What distributed rate-limit invariants prevent agents from collectively exceeding shared API quotas?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** Multiple sessions share an API quota, per-session limits are insufficient, and collective exhaustion causes real harm. * **Does not apply when:** Each session has its own dedicated quota, or the shared quota is unlimited",
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  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **per-session rate limiting** (each session respects its own limit) and **aggregate rate limiting** (the collective usage stays under the shared quota). Relying on per-session limits creates the **Collective Quota Exhaustion**: each session respects its own limit, but the sum of all sessions' usage exceeds the shared quota, the API thr...",
    "what_was_observed": "In shared-quota agent architectures, failing to coordinate produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Burst Collision:** Three sessions each plan a burst of 100 requests per minute. Individually, each is within its per-session limit. Collectively, 300 RPM exceeds the 200 RPM shared quota, and all requests are throttled. 2. **Fairness Collapse:** One session consumes 80% of the shared quota, the others are throttled i...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** Multiple sessions share an API quota, per-session limits are insufficient, and collective exhaustion causes real harm. * **Does not apply when:** Each session has its own dedicated quota, or the shared quota is unlimited.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Is the session using a shared-quota API?** If no, standard rate limiting applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is the `shared_quota_consumption_receipt` current (within acceptable freshness)?** If no, the aggregate state is unknown. The session must query or defer. 3. **Does the session's planned usage fit within its `session_fair_share_receipt`?** If yes, pro...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Quota Preservation:** Distributed coordination prevents simultaneous over-consumption. 2. **Fairness Enforcement:** Explicit fair share prevents one session from starving others. 3. **Cascade Prevention:** Burst coordination detects collective bursts before they trigger throttling."
  },
  "matched_failure_symptoms": [
    "HTTP_429_BURST_STARVATION"
  ],
  "composition_edges": {
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  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "67d13b4afc01bba562b222fe3203f15cbcc100412eb00b52c28a9f6f36844399",
    "verified_classes": [
      "QuotaVerdict",
      "SharedQuotaState",
      "QuotaPolicy",
      "QuotaManifest",
      "DistributedRateLimitGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_usage"
    ],
    "verified_functions_count": 2,
    "defensive_guards_count": 0,
    "raised_exceptions": [],
    "sample_fail_closed_invariants": [],
    "stdlib_dependencies": [
      "dataclasses",
      "enum",
      "hashlib",
      "json"
    ],
    "observation_mode": "EMPIRICAL_BOUNDARY_CAPTURE",
    "zero_external_deps": true
  }
}