# Provenance stamped 2026-10-07 (roadmap#943): written by an API Evangelist sweep (undated — the file carries no date and git cannot supply one), not
# harvested from the provider. `method: generated` so the economics campaign may replace it with a
# dated, verbatim transcription; every figure below is unverified until it does.
method: generated
name: NCBI BLAST URL API Rate Limits
description: >
  NCBI does not publish explicit numeric rate limits for the BLAST URL API.
  Users are expected to follow responsible-use guidelines: submit jobs
  asynchronously, poll for status at reasonable intervals (no less than
  every 60 seconds for long-running jobs), and avoid submitting large
  volumes of concurrent searches.
provider: National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
url: https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/doc/blast-help/developerinfo.html

guidelines:
  - Submit jobs asynchronously using the two-step Put/Get pattern
  - Poll for status no more frequently than every 60 seconds
  - Include a valid email address in all automated requests
  - Avoid submitting more than 20 concurrent BLAST jobs
  - For bulk sequence analysis, consider using standalone BLAST+

enforcement:
  - Automated clients that violate guidelines may be blocked
  - NCBI reserves the right to limit or terminate access for misuse