Intermittent API timeout
Verdict
When API timeouts occur intermittently, this pattern is rarely caused by client-side request logic.
If the same request sometimes completes successfully and sometimes times out—without changes in payload, authentication, or client environment—continued client-side optimization has limited impact.
At this point, eliminating the timeouts entirely is no longer under the client’s direct control.
Why This Happens
Intermittent timeouts originate from variable execution conditions beyond the client boundary, including:
- Variable upstream latency inside the receiving system
- Queue backlogs or contention during peak or uneven load
- Dependency fan-out, where a single request waits on multiple services
- Dynamic traffic shaping or resource reallocation under pressure
These conditions fluctuate over time. They are not visible or correctable from the client side.
A timeout in this context signals execution uncertainty, not request invalidity.
Where You Can Stop
Once intermittent timeouts are confirmed under stable client conditions, you can reasonably stop:
- Tightening client-side timeout thresholds repeatedly
- Refactoring request structure to chase latency improvements
- Adding retries without explicit execution guarantees
- Treating occasional success as evidence of a fixable client defect
Further effort on the client side will not reliably eliminate variability.
Progress depends on server-side capacity, prioritization, or guarantees.
What This Page Is Not
This page does not:
- Recommend timeout values
- Provide retry or circuit-breaker strategies
- Diagnose network infrastructure or hosting layers
Its purpose is to define where responsibility shifts—and when continued client-side effort becomes a choice rather than a requirement.
Intermittent timeouts are a boundary signal, not an implementation failure.