Definition
Full definition of exponential backoff
When a request fails (network blip, rate limit, transient error), naive retry would hammer the API. Exponential backoff doubles the wait time on each failed attempt — giving the failing system time to recover and avoiding cascading failures. Often paired with jitter (random offset) to prevent thundering herd. Tiny Command applies exponential backoff to all retries automatically.
In practice
Exponential Backoff examples
Retry schedule
Attempt 1 (now), Attempt 2 (1s later), Attempt 3 (2s later), Attempt 4 (4s later), Attempt 5 (8s later)
Used by
Apps that exemplify exponential backoff
See exponential backoff in action across real integrations.
FAQ
Common questions about exponential backoff
When should I NOT retry?
On 4xx errors except 429 — those mean your request is malformed and will keep failing. Only retry on 5xx and 429.
What's jitter?
Random fuzz added to backoff to avoid synchronized retries. Without jitter, all clients retry at exactly the same time after an outage.
