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+# Design Spec: Generic Rate Limiter Refactor
+
+Refactor the current global-state rate limiter into a struct-based implementation that supports multiple instances with different configurations, improving testability and flexibility.
+
+## 1. Core Architecture
+
+### Current State
+- `pkg/middleware/ratelimit.go` uses global variables (`visitors`, `mu`, `quit`).
+- Cleanup logic is started automatically via `init()`.
+- Limits are hardcoded (5 attempts per minute).
+
+### Changes
+- **Limiter Struct:** Encapsulate state within a `Limiter` struct.
+- **Explicit Configuration:** Pass limits and windows via a `Config` struct.
+- **Context-aware Cleanup:** Use `context.Context` to manage the cleanup goroutine lifecycle instead of a global `quit` channel.
+
+## 2. Component Design
+
+### `Limiter` Struct
+```go
+type visitor struct {
+	attempts int
+	lastSeen time.Time
+}
+
+type Config struct {
+	MaxAttempts int
+	Window      time.Duration
+}
+
+type Limiter struct {
+	mu       sync.Mutex
+	visitors map[string]*visitor
+	config   Config
+}
+```
+
+### Initialization
+```go
+func NewLimiter(cfg Config) *Limiter {
+	return &Limiter{
+		visitors: make(map[string]*visitor),
+		config:   cfg,
+	}
+}
+```
+
+### Middleware Methods
+- `Middleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler`: Generic rate limiting.
+- `AuthMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler`: Specific logic for auth (redirects with error params).
+
+## 3. Integration Plan
+
+- Instantiate the `Limiter` in `cmd/server/main.go`.
+- Pass the `Limiter` or its middleware to `internal/server/NewRouter`.
+- Update `internal/server/routes.go` to use the new instance-based middleware.
+
+## 4. Verification Plan
+
+### Automated Checks
+- **Unit Tests:** Create `pkg/middleware/ratelimit_test.go` to verify:
+    - Multiple IPs are tracked independently.
+    - Limits are enforced correctly.
+    - Attempts reset after the window expires.
+- `go test ./pkg/middleware/...`: Run the new tests.
+
+### Manual Checks
+- Verify that exceeding login attempts still triggers the `rate_limited` redirect.