How can a WAF (Web Application Firewall) help prevent DDoS attacks on an API?

A WAF acts as a shield by inspecting HTTP traffic and filtering out malicious requests. It can identify and block common attack patterns like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and application-layer DDoS techniques such as HTTP floods and slowloris. WAFs also offer rate limiting and bot detection capabilities, further enhancing DDoS protection.