Implementing Pagination in APIs

Introduction Key Concepts Pagination Methods Code Examples Best Practices FAQ

1. Introduction

Pagination is a crucial part of API design, especially when dealing with large datasets. It helps in managing the amount of data sent to the client, enhances performance, and improves user experience.

2. Key Concepts

Limit: The maximum number of records to return in a single response.
Offset: The starting point for records to return, determining which records to skip.
Page Number: Represents the current page of results.
Page Size: The number of records per page.

3. Pagination Methods

There are several common methods for implementing pagination in APIs:

Cursor-based Pagination
Offset-based Pagination
Keyset Pagination

4. Code Examples

4.1 Offset-based Pagination


GET /api/items?limit=10&offset=20

This request retrieves 10 items, starting from the 21st record.

4.2 Cursor-based Pagination


GET /api/items?cursor=abc123&limit=10

This request retrieves the next 10 items after the item with a cursor value of abc123.

5. Best Practices

Always provide total count of records.
Standardize pagination parameters across your API.
Handle edge cases where the requested page might be empty.
Consider adding links to the next and previous pages in the response.

6. FAQ

What is the best method for pagination?

Cursor-based pagination is generally preferred for large datasets because it is more efficient and avoids issues with data changes between requests.

How do I handle total record counts?

Always include a total count in your API response to help clients understand how many pages of data are available.

What should I do for an empty page request?

Return an empty array and a status code of 200, indicating that the request was successful but there are no records to return.