[PictureLoader] Fix worker thread shutdown and cross-thread cache clearing

clearNetworkCache() ran directly on the UI thread while the worker thread
owned the disk cache and redirect cache, racing cache reads/writes. Make it
a worker-thread slot invoked via a blocking queued call when the thread is
running, so the 'Cached card pictures have been reset.' message is truthful.

The worker thread was also never quit()/wait()ed: both destructors only
deleteLater'd their objects, so Qt warned 'QThread: Destroyed while thread
is still running' and leaked a running loop at exit. Wire the worker's
finished() signal to its own deleteLater() (canonical worker-object
pattern), add shutdownThread() to stop the loop, and let CardPictureLoader
destroy the QThread only after wait() has returned.

cockatrice/src/interface/card_picture_loader/card_picture_loader.cpp

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <QDirIterator>
 #include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QMainWindow>
+#include <QMetaObject>
 #include <QMovie>
 #include <QNetworkRequest>
 #include <QPainter>
@@ -55,7 +56,14 @@ CardPictureLoader::CardPictureLoader() : QObject(nullptr)
 
 CardPictureLoader::~CardPictureLoader()
 {
-    worker->deleteLater();
+    if (worker) {
+        // Capture the thread first: shutdownThread() blocks until the worker has been freed by the
+        // finished() -> deleteLater chain, after which the worker pointer must not be dereferenced.
+        QThread *pictureLoaderThread = worker->workerThread();
+        worker->shutdownThread();
+        worker = nullptr;
+        delete pictureLoaderThread;
+    }
 }
 
 void CardPictureLoader::getCardBackPixmap(QPixmap &pixmap, QSize size)
@@ -295,7 +303,15 @@ void CardPictureLoader::clearPixmapCache()
 
 void CardPictureLoader::clearNetworkCache()
 {
-    getInstance().worker->clearNetworkCache();
+    auto &worker = *getInstance().worker;
+    // The disk cache and redirect cache are owned by the worker thread; clearing them from the
+    // UI thread would race with the worker's cache reads/writes. Block until the worker thread
+    // has executed the clear so the "Cached card pictures have been reset." message is truthful.
+    if (worker.isRunning()) {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(&worker, "clearNetworkCache", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
+    } else {
+        worker.clearNetworkCache();
+    }
 }
 
 void CardPictureLoader::cacheCardPixmaps(const QList<ExactCard> &cards)

cockatrice/src/interface/card_picture_loader/card_picture_loader_worker.cpp

@@ -16,15 +16,16 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <version_string.h>
 
-static constexpr int MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC = 10;
-static constexpr int MIN_HOST_QUOTA = 1;                ///< Floor for the per-host request allowance
+static constexpr int MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC = DownloadSettings::DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT;
+static constexpr int MIN_HOST_QUOTA = DownloadSettings::MIN_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT;
 static constexpr qint64 QUOTA_RECOVER_MS = 60000;       ///< Idle time before a reduced quota starts recovering
 static constexpr int DISPATCH_INTERVAL_MS = 100;        ///< Pacing between individual network requests
 static constexpr qint64 QUOTA_RESET_INTERVAL_MS = 1000; ///< Interval at which the request quota resets
 
 CardPictureLoaderWorker::CardPictureLoaderWorker()
     : QObject(nullptr), picDownload(SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getPicDownload()),
-      requestQuota(MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC)
+      requestQuota(MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC),
+      hostRequestLimits(SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getHostRequestLimits())
 {
     networkManager = new QNetworkAccessManager(this);
     // We need a timeout to ensure requests don't hang indefinitely in case of
@@ -59,6 +60,9 @@ CardPictureLoaderWorker::CardPictureLoaderWorker()
     localLoader = new CardPictureLoaderLocal(this);
 
     pictureLoaderThread = new QThread;
+    // The worker object frees itself once its thread finishes, so no event loop is left
+    // running and the QThread is never destroyed while still executing.
+    connect(pictureLoaderThread, &QThread::finished, this, &QObject::deleteLater);
     pictureLoaderThread->start(QThread::LowPriority);
     moveToThread(pictureLoaderThread);
 
@@ -74,12 +78,36 @@ CardPictureLoaderWorker::CardPictureLoaderWorker()
 
     connect(&dispatchTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &CardPictureLoaderWorker::dispatchQueuedRequest);
     dispatchTimer.setInterval(DISPATCH_INTERVAL_MS);
+
+    connect(&SettingsCache::instance().downloads(), &DownloadSettings::hostRequestLimitsChanged, this,
+            [this] { hostRequestLimits = SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getHostRequestLimits(); });
 }
 
 CardPictureLoaderWorker::~CardPictureLoaderWorker()
 {
     saveRedirectCache();
-    pictureLoaderThread->deleteLater();
+}
+
+void CardPictureLoaderWorker::shutdownThread()
+{
+    // The finished() -> deleteLater chain (wired in the constructor) frees this worker as soon as
+    // its event loop exits, so nothing - not even a member read - may run once wait() returns.
+    // QThread::quit() and QThread::wait() are thread-safe and may be called from the owning thread.
+    QThread *thread = pictureLoaderThread;
+    if (thread) {
+        thread->quit();
+        thread->wait();
+    }
+}
+
+QThread *CardPictureLoaderWorker::workerThread() const
+{
+    return pictureLoaderThread;
+}
+
+bool CardPictureLoaderWorker::isRunning() const
+{
+    return pictureLoaderThread != nullptr && pictureLoaderThread->isRunning();
 }
 
 void CardPictureLoaderWorker::queueRequest(const QUrl &url, CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork *worker)
@@ -138,17 +166,24 @@ QNetworkReply *CardPictureLoaderWorker::makeRequest(const QUrl &url, CardPicture
 void CardPictureLoaderWorker::resetRequestQuota()
 {
     requestQuota = MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC;
+    // Allowances are seeded per host on demand in processSingleRequest(), so a
+    // rate-limited host never gets a fresh full quota mid-second.
+    hostQuotaRemaining.clear();
 
     QDateTime now = QDateTime::currentDateTime();
-    for (auto it = hostRequestQuota.begin(); it != hostRequestQuota.end(); ++it) {
-        if (!hostLast429.contains(it.key()) || now.msecsTo(hostLast429.value(it.key())) < -QUOTA_RECOVER_MS) {
-            it.value() = qMin(MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC, it.value() + 1);
+    for (auto it = hostRequestQuota.begin(); it != hostRequestQuota.end();) {
+        // An unlocked host has no per-host allowance; drop any stale entry instead of
+        // recovering it towards the UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA sentinel, which would poison it.
+        if (hostAllowanceCeiling(it.key()) == DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA) {
+            it = hostRequestQuota.erase(it);
+            continue;
         }
-    }
-
-    for (const auto &request : requestLoadQueue) {
-        const QString host = request.first.host();
-        hostQuotaRemaining.insert(host, hostRequestQuota.value(host, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC));
+        if (!hostLast429.contains(it.key()) || now.msecsTo(hostLast429.value(it.key())) < -QUOTA_RECOVER_MS) {
+            // Recover towards the host's effective allowance ceiling, which may be
+            // lowered by the user's per-host request limits.
+            it.value() = qMin(hostAllowanceCeiling(it.key()), it.value() + 1);
+        }
+        ++it;
     }
 
     processQueuedRequests();
@@ -169,6 +204,27 @@ void CardPictureLoaderWorker::processQueuedRequests()
 
 void CardPictureLoaderWorker::dispatchQueuedRequest()
 {
+    if (requestLoadQueue.isEmpty()) {
+        dispatchTimer.stop();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Unlocked hosts (developer cap UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA) skip the dispatch pacing and the
+    // global per-second quota: dispatch every queued request for them back-to-back, bounded
+    // only by their 429 backoff window and Qt's per-host connection pool.
+    QDateTime now = QDateTime::currentDateTime();
+    for (int i = 0; i < requestLoadQueue.size();) {
+        const auto &request = requestLoadQueue.at(i);
+        const QString host = request.first.host();
+        if (hostAllowanceCeiling(host) == DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA &&
+            !CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork::rateLimiter().isRateLimited(host, now)) {
+            makeRequest(request.first, request.second);
+            requestLoadQueue.removeAt(i);
+        } else {
+            ++i;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (requestLoadQueue.isEmpty() || requestQuota <= 0) {
         dispatchTimer.stop();
         return;
@@ -184,10 +240,22 @@ void CardPictureLoaderWorker::dispatchQueuedRequest()
 
 bool CardPictureLoaderWorker::processSingleRequest()
 {
+    QDateTime now = QDateTime::currentDateTime();
     for (int i = 0; i < requestLoadQueue.size(); ++i) {
         const auto &request = requestLoadQueue.at(i);
-        QString host = request.first.host();
-        int allowance = hostQuotaRemaining.value(host, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC);
+        const QString host = request.first.host();
+        // Don't dispatch requests to a host that is currently in its 429 backoff.
+        if (CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork::rateLimiter().isRateLimited(host, now)) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        const int ceiling = hostAllowanceCeiling(host);
+        // Seed the allowance only now, so a host that was rate limited last second
+        // doesn't get a fresh full quota the moment it is queried mid-second. Clamp
+        // against the ceiling so a lowered user cap applies from this second onward.
+        if (!hostQuotaRemaining.contains(host)) {
+            hostQuotaRemaining.insert(host, qMin(ceiling, hostRequestQuota.value(host, ceiling)));
+        }
+        int allowance = hostQuotaRemaining.value(host);
         if (allowance > 0) {
             hostQuotaRemaining.insert(host, allowance - 1);
             makeRequest(request.first, request.second);
@@ -198,9 +266,25 @@ bool CardPictureLoaderWorker::processSingleRequest()
     return false;
 }
 
+int CardPictureLoaderWorker::hostAllowanceCeiling(const QString &host) const
+{
+    const int devCap = DownloadSettings::getDeveloperHostCaps().value(host, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC);
+    if (devCap == DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA && !hostRequestLimits.contains(host)) {
+        return DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA;
+    }
+    const int requested = hostRequestLimits.value(host, devCap);
+    return SettingsCache::instance().downloads().clampHostRequestLimit(host, requested);
+}
+
 void CardPictureLoaderWorker::onHostRateLimited(const QString &host)
 {
-    hostRequestQuota.insert(host, qMax(MIN_HOST_QUOTA, hostRequestQuota.value(host, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_SEC) / 2));
+    const int ceiling = hostAllowanceCeiling(host);
+    if (ceiling == DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA) {
+        // Unlocked hosts have no per-host allowance to halve; the shared backoff
+        // window tracked by the rate limiter still paces them.
+        return;
+    }
+    hostRequestQuota.insert(host, qMax(MIN_HOST_QUOTA, hostRequestQuota.value(host, ceiling) / 2));
     hostLast429.insert(host, QDateTime::currentDateTime());
 }
 

cockatrice/src/interface/card_picture_loader/card_picture_loader_worker.h

@@ -74,10 +74,37 @@ public:
      */
     void onHostRateLimited(const QString &host);
 
-    /** @brief Clears the network cache and redirect cache. */
-    void clearNetworkCache();
+    /**
+     * @brief Stops the worker thread and releases it.
+     *
+     * Called from the owning thread (CardPictureLoader) on its way out. QThread::quit() posts an
+     * exit request to the worker's event loop and QThread::wait() blocks until the loop has
+     * returned and the thread finished. Only QThread members are touched here, so this method is
+     * safe to call from the owning thread. The worker object itself is freed by the finished() ->
+     * deleteLater chain (see the constructor); the QThread object is deleted afterwards by the
+     * owner (CardPictureLoader::~CardPictureLoader), not by this method.
+     */
+    void shutdownThread();
+
+    /** @return Whether the worker's thread is currently running. */
+    bool isRunning() const;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Returns the worker's QThread.
+     * @return The worker thread
+     *
+     * Only meaningful while the worker object is alive; capture it before calling shutdownThread().
+     */
+    QThread *workerThread() const;
 
 public slots:
+    /**
+     * @brief Clears the network cache and redirect cache.
+     *
+     * Runs on the worker thread; invoke it via a queued call when coming from another thread,
+     * since both caches are owned by the worker thread.
+     */
+    void clearNetworkCache();
     /**
      * @brief Makes a network request for the given URL using the specified worker.
      * @param url URL to load
@@ -125,12 +152,21 @@ private:
     QTimer requestTimer;                    ///< Timer to reset the request quota
     QTimer dispatchTimer;                   ///< Timer pacing individual network requests
     QHash<QString, int> hostRequestQuota;   ///< Sustained per-host request allowance
+    QHash<QString, int> hostRequestLimits;  ///< User-set per-host request allowances
     QHash<QString, int> hostQuotaRemaining; ///< Per-host allowance left in the current second
     QHash<QString, QDateTime> hostLast429;  ///< When each host was last rate limited
 
     CardPictureLoaderLocal *localLoader; ///< Loader for local images
     QSet<QString> currentlyLoading;      ///< Deduplication: contains pixmapCacheKey currently being loaded
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Effective per-host allowance ceiling for a host.
+     * @param host The host to look up
+     * @return The allowance ceiling in requests/second, or DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA
+     *         when the developer unlocked the host and no user limit is set for it.
+     */
+    [[nodiscard]] int hostAllowanceCeiling(const QString &host) const;
+
     /** @brief Returns cached redirect URL for the given original URL, if available. */
     [[nodiscard]] QUrl getCachedRedirect(const QUrl &originalUrl) const;
 

cockatrice/src/interface/card_picture_loader/card_picture_loader_worker_work.cpp

@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ static const QStringList MD5_BLACKLIST = {
     "fbc7d763c08771c260b39e2115414eeb"  // Current card back hash
 };
 
+ServerRateLimiter &CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork::rateLimiter()
+{
+    return s_rateLimiter;
+}
+
 CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork::CardPictureLoaderWorkerWork(const CardPictureLoaderWorker *worker, const ExactCard &toLoad)
     : QObject(nullptr), cardToDownload(CardPictureToLoad(toLoad)),
       picDownload(SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getPicDownload())

cockatrice/src/interface/card_picture_loader/card_picture_loader_worker_work.h

@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ public:
 
     CardPictureToLoad cardToDownload; ///< The card and associated URLs to try downloading
 
+    /** @brief Shared per-server 429 backoff state. */
+    static ServerRateLimiter &rateLimiter();
+
 public slots:
     /**
      * @brief Handles a finished network reply for the card image.

cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/settings_page/deck_editor_settings_page.cpp

@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@
 #include <QLineEdit>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QToolBar>
+#include <QUrl>
 #include <libcockatrice/settings/download_settings.h>
 #include <libcockatrice/settings/paths_settings.h>
 #include <libcockatrice/settings/personal_settings.h>
 #include <libcockatrice/utility/macros.h>
 
+static constexpr int UNLOCKED_HOST_LIMIT_MAX = 50; ///< Upper bound for rate limits on hosts unlocked by the developer
+
 DeckEditorSettingsPage::DeckEditorSettingsPage()
 {
     picDownloadCheckBox.setChecked(SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getPicDownload());
@@ -65,11 +68,16 @@ DeckEditorSettingsPage::DeckEditorSettingsPage()
     aRemove->setIcon(themePixmap(QStringLiteral("icons/decrement")));
     connect(aRemove, &QAction::triggered, this, &DeckEditorSettingsPage::actRemoveURL);
 
+    aRateLimit = new QAction(this);
+    aRateLimit->setIcon(themePixmap(QStringLiteral("icons/cogwheel")));
+    connect(aRateLimit, &QAction::triggered, this, &DeckEditorSettingsPage::actAdjustRateLimit);
+
     auto *urlToolBar = new QToolBar;
     urlToolBar->setOrientation(Qt::Vertical);
     urlToolBar->addAction(aAdd);
     urlToolBar->addAction(aRemove);
     urlToolBar->addAction(aEdit);
+    urlToolBar->addAction(aRateLimit);
     urlToolBar->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Preferred, QSizePolicy::MinimumExpanding);
 
     auto *urlListLayout = new QHBoxLayout;
@@ -164,6 +172,54 @@ void DeckEditorSettingsPage::storeSettings()
     SettingsCache::instance().downloads().setDownloadUrls(downloadUrls);
 }
 
+void DeckEditorSettingsPage::actAdjustRateLimit()
+{
+    if (urlList->currentItem() == nullptr) {
+        QMessageBox::information(this, tr("Adjust Rate Limit"), tr("Select a URL in the list first."));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const QString host = QUrl(urlList->currentItem()->text()).host();
+    if (host.isEmpty()) {
+        QMessageBox::information(this, tr("Adjust Rate Limit"), tr("The selected URL does not have a valid host."));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const QHash<QString, int> &devCaps = DownloadSettings::getDeveloperHostCaps();
+    const QHash<QString, int> currentLimits = SettingsCache::instance().downloads().getHostRequestLimits();
+    const int devCap = devCaps.value(host, DownloadSettings::DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT);
+    const bool unlocked = devCap == DownloadSettings::UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA;
+
+    bool ok = false;
+    int minimum;
+    int maximum;
+    int defaultValue;
+    if (unlocked) {
+        minimum = 0; // 0 means "unlimited"
+        maximum = UNLOCKED_HOST_LIMIT_MAX;
+        defaultValue = currentLimits.value(host, 0);
+    } else {
+        minimum = DownloadSettings::MIN_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT;
+        maximum = devCap;
+        defaultValue = currentLimits.value(host, devCap);
+    }
+
+    const int value = QInputDialog::getInt(this, tr("Adjust Rate Limit for %1").arg(host),
+                                           tr("Requests per second (developer maximum is %1):").arg(maximum),
+                                           defaultValue, minimum, maximum, 1, &ok);
+    if (!ok) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    QHash<QString, int> limits = currentLimits;
+    if (unlocked ? value == 0 : value == devCap) {
+        limits.remove(host);
+    } else {
+        limits.insert(host, value);
+    }
+    SettingsCache::instance().downloads().setHostRequestLimits(limits);
+}
+
 void DeckEditorSettingsPage::urlListChanged(const QModelIndex &, int, int, const QModelIndex &, int)
 {
     storeSettings();
@@ -244,4 +300,5 @@ void DeckEditorSettingsPage::retranslateUi()
     aAdd->setText(tr("Add New URL"));
     aEdit->setText(tr("Edit URL"));
     aRemove->setText(tr("Remove URL"));
-}
+    aRateLimit->setText(tr("Adjust Rate Limit"));
+}

cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/settings_page/deck_editor_settings_page.h

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ private slots:
     void actAddURL();
     void actRemoveURL();
     void actEditURL();
+    void actAdjustRateLimit();
     void resetDownloadedURLsButtonClicked();
 
 private:
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ private:
     QLabel urlLinkLabel;
     QCheckBox picDownloadCheckBox;
     QListWidget *urlList;
-    QAction *aAdd, *aEdit, *aRemove;
+    QAction *aAdd, *aEdit, *aRemove, *aRateLimit;
     QCheckBox mcDownloadSpoilersCheckBox;
     QLabel msDownloadSpoilersLabel;
     QGroupBox *mpGeneralGroupBox;

libcockatrice_settings/libcockatrice/settings/download_settings.cpp

@@ -9,6 +9,22 @@ const QStringList DownloadSettings::DEFAULT_DOWNLOAD_URLS = {
     "https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=!set:muid!&type=card",
     "https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?name=!name!&type=card"};
 
+// Developer-set ceilings for the per-host request allowance. Users may lower a host's
+// allowance via the download settings, but can never raise it above these values. Hosts
+// not listed default to DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT. A cap of UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA marks a
+// host that is never throttled per host and skips the dispatch pacing (429 backoff still applies).
+const QHash<QString, int> DownloadSettings::DEVELOPER_HOST_CAPS = {
+    // The Scryfall API enforces 10 requests/second; stay one under so a burst can't trip 429s.
+    {"api.scryfall.com", 9},
+    // The Scryfall image CDN has no documented per-client rate limit.
+    {"cards.scryfall.io", UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA},
+};
+
+const QHash<QString, int> &DownloadSettings::getDeveloperHostCaps()
+{
+    return DEVELOPER_HOST_CAPS;
+}
+
 DownloadSettings::DownloadSettings(const QString &settingPath, QObject *parent = nullptr)
     : SettingsManager(settingPath + "downloads.ini", "downloads", QString(), parent)
 {
@@ -50,3 +66,32 @@ void DownloadSettings::setDownloadSpoilerStatus(bool _spoilerStatus)
     setValue(_spoilerStatus, "downloadSpoilers");
     emit downloadSpoilerStatusChanged();
 }
+
+QHash<QString, int> DownloadSettings::getHostRequestLimits() const
+{
+    const QVariantMap stored = getValue("hostRequestLimits").toMap();
+    QHash<QString, int> hostRequestLimits;
+    for (auto it = stored.cbegin(); it != stored.cend(); ++it) {
+        hostRequestLimits.insert(it.key(), it.value().toInt());
+    }
+    return hostRequestLimits;
+}
+
+void DownloadSettings::setHostRequestLimits(const QHash<QString, int> &hostRequestLimits)
+{
+    QVariantMap stored;
+    for (auto it = hostRequestLimits.cbegin(); it != hostRequestLimits.cend(); ++it) {
+        stored.insert(it.key(), it.value());
+    }
+    setValue(stored, "hostRequestLimits");
+    emit hostRequestLimitsChanged();
+}
+
+int DownloadSettings::clampHostRequestLimit(const QString &host, int requested) const
+{
+    const int devCap = DEVELOPER_HOST_CAPS.value(host, DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT);
+    if (devCap == UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA) {
+        return qMax(MIN_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT, requested);
+    }
+    return qBound(MIN_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT, requested, devCap);
+}

libcockatrice_settings/libcockatrice/settings/download_settings.h

@@ -9,14 +9,34 @@
 
 #include "settings_manager.h"
 
+#include <QHash>
+
 class DownloadSettings : public SettingsManager
 {
     Q_OBJECT
     friend class SettingsCache;
 
     static const QStringList DEFAULT_DOWNLOAD_URLS;
+    static const QHash<QString, int> DEVELOPER_HOST_CAPS;
 
 public:
+    /** @brief Per-host request allowance (requests/second) when no developer cap applies. */
+    static constexpr int DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT = 10;
+    /** @brief Floor for any per-host request allowance. */
+    static constexpr int MIN_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT = 1;
+    /** @brief Developer cap marking a host as never throttled per host or by the dispatch pacing. */
+    static constexpr int UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA = -1;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Developer-set per-host allowance ceilings (requests/second), keyed by host.
+     *
+     * Hosts not present default to DEFAULT_HOST_REQUEST_LIMIT. An entry of
+     * UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA marks a host that users may still lower, but that is never
+     * throttled per host by default. Users can never raise a host's allowance above its
+     * developer cap.
+     */
+    static const QHash<QString, int> &getDeveloperHostCaps();
+
     explicit DownloadSettings(const QString &, QObject *);
 
     QStringList getAllURLs() const;
@@ -27,9 +47,23 @@ public:
     [[nodiscard]] bool getDownloadSpoilersStatus() const;
     void setDownloadSpoilerStatus(bool _spoilerStatus);
 
+    /** @brief User-set per-host request allowances (requests/second). Missing hosts use the developer default. */
+    QHash<QString, int> getHostRequestLimits() const;
+    void setHostRequestLimits(const QHash<QString, int> &hostRequestLimits);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Clamps the user's requested allowance for a host against its developer cap.
+     * @param host The host to clamp for
+     * @param requested The user-requested allowance in requests/second
+     * @return The effective allowance. Users may lower a host's allowance but never raise it
+     *         above the developer cap; hosts with UNLIMITED_HOST_QUOTA have no upper bound.
+     */
+    [[nodiscard]] int clampHostRequestLimit(const QString &host, int requested) const;
+
 signals:
     void picDownloadChanged();
     void downloadSpoilerStatusChanged();
+    void hostRequestLimitsChanged();
 };
 
 #endif // COCKATRICE_DOWNLOADSETTINGS_H

tests/settings/settings_defaults_test.cpp

@@ -334,6 +334,38 @@ TEST_F(SettingsDefaultsTest, Download_DownloadSpoilersStatus_Default)
     ASSERT_EQ(s.getDownloadSpoilersStatus(), false);
 }
 
+TEST_F(SettingsDefaultsTest, Download_HostRequestLimits_Default)
+{
+    DownloadSettings s(settingsPath, nullptr);
+    ASSERT_TRUE(s.getHostRequestLimits().isEmpty());
+}
+
+TEST_F(SettingsDefaultsTest, Download_HostRequestLimits_SetAndGet)
+{
+    DownloadSettings s(settingsPath, nullptr);
+    s.setHostRequestLimits({{"api.scryfall.com", 5}});
+    const QHash<QString, int> limits = s.getHostRequestLimits();
+    ASSERT_EQ(limits.size(), 1);
+    ASSERT_EQ(limits.value("api.scryfall.com"), 5);
+}
+
+TEST_F(SettingsDefaultsTest, Download_HostRequestLimits_StackedHostCaps)
+{
+    DownloadSettings s(settingsPath, nullptr);
+    // The developer cap for the Scryfall API lowers the ceiling to 9; a user can
+    // reduce it further but can never raise it above the cap.
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("api.scryfall.com", 9), 9);
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("api.scryfall.com", 20), 9);
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("api.scryfall.com", 5), 5);
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("api.scryfall.com", 0), 1);
+    // Hosts without a developer cap fall back to the global default ceiling.
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("gatherer.wizards.com", 10), 10);
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("gatherer.wizards.com", 20), 10);
+    // The Scryfall CDN is unlocked: no upper bound (values are only floored).
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("cards.scryfall.io", 20), 20);
+    ASSERT_EQ(s.clampHostRequestLimit("cards.scryfall.io", 0), 1);
+}
+
 // --- AppearanceSettings ---
 
 TEST_F(SettingsDefaultsTest, Appearance_ThemeName_Default)