How is the number of slots computed?

Have you noticed the slot number on the lobstr.io app home page and wondered what it means?

In this help article, we'll cover:

• What is a slot?
• How is the total number of slots computed?

What is a slot?

When you access your list of Squids on lobstr.io, you'll see:

• A list of your Squids
• The number of slots associated with each Squid

But why do some Squids have more than one slot?

This is related to the slots setting, which you can adjust in the Settings section of each Squid.

The number of slots per Squid is the value of the slots setting for that Squid.

The slots setting determines the number of scrapers that will be launched simultaneously to process your tasks. Increasing the slots count boosts speed by spawning multiple scrapers at once, with each scraper tackling one task from your bucket of tasks.

How is the total number of slots computed?

The total number of slots is the sum of the slots of all your Squids.

For example, suppose you have 5 Squids:

• Squid A with 1 slot
• Squid B with 4 slots
• Squid C with 1 slot
• Squid D with 1 slot
• Squid E with 4 slots

Your total number of slots is 11 slots (1 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 4).

How do I temporarily reduce my number of used slots?

If you notice you're approaching your slot limit or simply want to free up some slots for other tasks, you can temporarily deactivate Squids you're not currently using.

Deactivating a Squid will immediately reduce your total slots count by the number of slots associated with that Squid.

Here’s how it works:

First, let's say your current total slots count is 10 out of 10.

Navigate to your Squids dashboard and select the Squid you wish to deactivate. Click on button Change Status to > Inactive to deactivate your squid.

After deactivating, your slot count will immediately update. If the Squid you deactivated used 1 slot, your new total slot count will be 9.

You can always reactivate Squids as needed, and your slots count will adjust accordingly.

Updated on: 30/06/2025