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| 1 | +# Style Guide: Quota vs. Limit |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +This guide defines the usage of "quota," "limit," and related terms in |
| 4 | +user-facing interfaces. |
| 5 | + |
| 6 | +## TL;DR |
| 7 | + |
| 8 | +- **`quota`**: The administrative "bucket." Use for settings, billing, and |
| 9 | + requesting increases. (e.g., "Adjust your storage **quota**.") |
| 10 | +- **`limit`**: The real-time numerical "ceiling." Use for error messages when a |
| 11 | + user is blocked. (e.g., "You've reached your request **limit**.") |
| 12 | +- **When blocked, combine them:** Explain the **limit** that was hit and the |
| 13 | + **quota** that is the remedy. (e.g., "You've reached the request **limit** for |
| 14 | + your developer **quota**.") |
| 15 | +- **Related terms:** Use `usage` for consumption tracking, `restriction` for |
| 16 | + fixed rules, and `reset` for when a limit refreshes. |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +--- |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +## Detailed Guidelines |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +### Definitions |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +- **Quota is the "what":** It identifies the category of resource being managed |
| 25 | + (e.g., storage quota, GPU quota, request/prompt quota). |
| 26 | +- **Limit is the "how much":** It defines the numerical boundary. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +Use **quota** when referring to the administrative concept or the request for |
| 29 | +more. Use **limit** when discussing the specific point of exhaustion. |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +### When to use "quota" |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +Use this term for **account management, billing, and settings.** It describes |
| 34 | +the entitlement the user has purchased or been assigned. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +**Examples:** |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +- **Navigation label:** Quota and usage |
| 39 | +- **Contextual help:** Your **usage quota** is managed by your organization. To |
| 40 | + request an increase, contact your administrator. |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | +### When to use "limit" |
| 43 | + |
| 44 | +Use this term for **real-time feedback, notifications, and error messages.** It |
| 45 | +identifies the specific wall the user just hit. |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +**Examples:** |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +- **Error message:** You’ve reached the 50-request-per-minute **limit**. |
| 50 | +- **Inline warning:** Input exceeds the 32k token **limit**. |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +### How to use both together |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +When a user is blocked, combine both terms to explain the **event** (limit) and |
| 55 | +the **remedy** (quota). |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +**Example:** |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +- **Heading:** Daily usage limit reached |
| 60 | +- **Body:** You've reached the maximum daily capacity for your developer quota. |
| 61 | + To continue working today, upgrade your quota. |
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