seniorSpring

How does Spring Boot handle request queueing inside embedded Tomcat under load?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

Tomcat queues incoming requests when all worker threads are busy until queue capacity is reached.

Deep explanation

Embedded Tomcat uses a thread pool and accept queue. Requests are accepted by NIO connector and placed in a queue if threads are busy. Once queue is full, new connections are rejected, leading to connection timeouts or 503 errors.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

View pricing

Real-world example

No real-world example available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Common mistakes

No common mistakes listed yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Follow-up questions

No follow-up questions available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

More Spring interview questions

View all →