Is throttling just a fancy word for blocking?

Myth: False. Throttling is not blocking. Throttling slows your sending rate temporarily (4xx responses asking to retry later). Blocking rejects messages outright (5xx responses refusing delivery).

Throttling indicates the provider wants you to slow down, not stop. Proper handling is reducing sending speed and retrying. Blocking requires investigation and remediation.

Understanding this difference matters for appropriate response. Throttling needs patience and proper retry logic. Blocking needs problem diagnosis and fixing.