At that point, backpressure and load shedding are the only things that retain a system that can still operate. If you have ever been in a Starbucks overwhelmed by mobile orders, you know the feeling.

Think of a REST API like a waiter in a restaurant. You (an app) tell the waiter what you want (your request), and the waiter goes to the kitchen (the server) to get it for you. REST is just a set of ...