Broadcast → Rate Limiting

Rate Limiting

Broadcast shares the global TokenBucket. Large volumes of emits within a frame are automatically throttled. Events that exceed the limit are silently dropped — no error is raised.

How it works

Broadcast rate limiting operates per player. When a client's token bucket is exhausted, additional emit calls targeting that player are dropped without an error or callback. The bucket refills automatically at the configured rate.

Behaviour	Detail
Scope	Per-player token bucket, shared with the main App channel
On exceed	Silent drop — the emit is discarded, no error raised
EmitAll	Each player's bucket is checked independently
Custom limits	Move high-volume events to a dedicated Port with its own TokenBucket settings

Per-event isolation with Ports

If you need per-event rate limits independent from the main channel, create a Port with its own TokenBucket settings. The Port's bucket is fully isolated — it cannot be drained by main-channel traffic.

-- Dedicated port for high-frequency position events
app:Listen("fx", function(port)
    -- register routes here
end, {
    maxTokens  = 30,
    refillRate = 15,
})

-- Client uses the named port for its Broadcast receives
local fxListener = RoExpress("Listener", "fx")

Silent drops are intentional. Broadcast is designed for high-frequency, lossy-acceptable events. An occasional dropped damage number or position hint is acceptable and preferred over stalling. For events that must arrive, use Push.

Choosing between Broadcast and Push

	Broadcast	Push
Rate limited	Yes	No (server-initiated)
On rate exceed	Silent drop	Not applicable
Payload cap	900 bytes	Roblox standard
Delivery guarantee	None	Guaranteed, ordered

Rate Limiting

How it works

Per-event isolation with Ports

Choosing between Broadcast and Push

See also