The LAN protocol documentation states the following:
Maximum recommended message transmit rate to a device: 20 per second
This rate is not really an issue when communicating with a light that has no zones. It does become an issue when updating each zone of a big LIFX Z with multiple strips. With 10 chained strips it would take 10*8 = 80 messages if you want to update each independent zone (without packet loss). With the recommended rate this would take 4 seconds.
When applying themes with the LIFX Android App I noticed that the App sends messages to a LIFX Z faster than this 20 per second rate. Things also don’t seem to break when I send more than 20 messages per second myself. So that leaves me wondering if the recommended rate still applies?