Rate limiting isn't an npm dependency — it's an abuse policy. Before copying middleware, you need to define what asset you're protecting, what abuse pattern you expect, and what a false positive costs you. A guide with a decision matrix, real gotchas, and observability for Next.js.
Web Crypto API looks like one thing — until you try to reuse the same encryption code across browser, Node.js, and Next.js edge runtime. The differences are subtle, they're documented, and almost nobody reads the docs until something blows up.
Before you copy-paste rate limiting middleware, define what asset you're protecting, what abuse you're expecting, and what a false positive costs you. Without that, the library solves nothing.
I tested 4 authorization patterns in Next.js 16 Middleware with edge runtime. One causes silent race conditions, another gives you unexpected latency, and only one scales without compromises. Here's the honest tradeoff analysis of each.
I write about architecture, real systems, product decisions, and technical lessons reviewed with professional judgment.
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