Retry loops that invent traffic cliffs
A silent backoff loop can look like a product launch when you only read the gateway graph.
On busy API surfaces, a client that retries without jitter can multiply request volume for a single user action. The graph shows a cliff; the product never asked those users to leave—or to stay.
Before rewriting the feature, walk the path while watching live traffic and error rates. Note client-only retries versus server confirmations. Check whether staging shares production credentials.
Traffic Pattern Intelligence stays narrow on purpose: one observation window, deep reconciliation, a checklist you can rerun after every release so the cliff does not return unnoticed.