diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 57075f7..0980219 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ Version metadata:
 - Current values: `api_version=0.3.0`, `schema_version=1.0.0`.
 - Compatibility policy (current): additive, backward-compatible fields may be introduced in the same API minor version.
 
+Operational limits:
+- `MAX_BODY_BYTES` (default `2097152`) limits request payload size.
+- `MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE` (default `120`) applies per-client throttling for POST API endpoints.
+
 ## REST API
 
 ### `POST /compile`
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index c383174..1bb7d78 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@ import { validateModel } from "./validate.js";
 const PORT = Number(process.env.PORT ?? "8787");
 const MAX_BODY_BYTES = Number(process.env.MAX_BODY_BYTES ?? 2 * 1024 * 1024);
 const CORS_ORIGIN = process.env.CORS_ORIGIN ?? "*";
+const MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE = Number(process.env.MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE ?? 120);
 const FRONTEND_ROOT = join(process.cwd(), "frontend");
 const API_VERSION = "0.3.0";
 const SCHEMA_VERSION = "1.0.0";
+const RATE_WINDOW_MS = 60_000;
+const rateByClient = new Map();
 
 const MIME_TYPES = {
   ".html": "text/html; charset=utf-8",
@@ -133,6 +136,42 @@ function withEnvelopeMeta(payload) {
   };
 }
 
+function clientKey(req) {
+  const forwarded = req.headers["x-forwarded-for"];
+  if (typeof forwarded === "string" && forwarded.trim()) {
+    return forwarded.split(",")[0].trim();
+  }
+  return req.socket?.remoteAddress ?? "unknown";
+}
+
+function pruneClientRate(now, list) {
+  const minTs = now - RATE_WINDOW_MS;
+  let idx = 0;
+  while (idx < list.length && list[idx] < minTs) {
+    idx += 1;
+  }
+  if (idx > 0) {
+    list.splice(0, idx);
+  }
+}
+
+function withinRateLimit(req) {
+  if (!(MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE > 0)) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  const key = clientKey(req);
+  const now = Date.now();
+  const list = rateByClient.get(key) ?? [];
+  pruneClientRate(now, list);
+  if (list.length >= MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE) {
+    rateByClient.set(key, list);
+    return false;
+  }
+  list.push(now);
+  rateByClient.set(key, list);
+  return true;
+}
+
 const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   if (!req.url || !req.method) {
     return json(res, 400, errorEnvelope("invalid_request", "Invalid request."));
@@ -172,6 +211,9 @@ const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   }
 
   if (req.method === "POST" && pathname === "/analyze") {
+    if (!withinRateLimit(req)) {
+      return json(res, 429, errorEnvelope("rate_limited", "Rate limit exceeded. Try again shortly."));
+    }
     try {
       const body = await readBody(req);
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);
@@ -188,6 +230,9 @@ const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   }
 
   if (req.method === "POST" && pathname === "/compile") {
+    if (!withinRateLimit(req)) {
+      return json(res, 429, errorEnvelope("rate_limited", "Rate limit exceeded. Try again shortly."));
+    }
     try {
       const body = await readBody(req);
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);
@@ -204,6 +249,9 @@ const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   }
 
   if (req.method === "POST" && pathname === "/layout/auto") {
+    if (!withinRateLimit(req)) {
+      return json(res, 429, errorEnvelope("rate_limited", "Rate limit exceeded. Try again shortly."));
+    }
     try {
       const body = await readBody(req);
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);
@@ -229,6 +277,9 @@ const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   }
 
   if (req.method === "POST" && pathname === "/layout/tidy") {
+    if (!withinRateLimit(req)) {
+      return json(res, 429, errorEnvelope("rate_limited", "Rate limit exceeded. Try again shortly."));
+    }
     try {
       const body = await readBody(req);
       const parsed = parsePayloadOptions(body);