Unbounded collection queries crash databases and consume high network bandwidth. Implementing proper pagination guarantees fast response latencies regardless of table size.
1. Pagination Method Comparison
| Pagination Type | Query Signature | SQL Complexity | Data Drift Prevention | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offset-Limit | ?page=3&limit=20 | OFFSET 40 LIMIT 20 (O(N)) | Poor (Duplicate/missing items on inserts) | Small static tables, basic admin panels |
| Cursor-Based | ?startingAfter=cursor_xyz | WHERE id > cursor LIMIT 20 (O(1)) | Perfect (Immutability guarantee) | Real-time feeds, public APIs, mobile apps |
| Keyset | ?lastCreatedAt=2026-09-26T12:00:00Z | WHERE created_at < ts LIMIT 20 (O(1)) | High | Time-series logs, event streaming |
REST API Pagination Technical Comparison
cursor-pagination-schema.yaml
components:
schemas:
PaginatedResponse:
type: object
required:
- data
- hasMore
properties:
data:
type: array
items:
type: object
hasMore:
type: boolean
example: true
nextCursor:
type: string
example: cur_92847293Analyze Pagination Metadata Schemas
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