Limit and pagination in DynamoDB - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the Limit parameter do in a DynamoDB query?

The Limit parameter sets the maximum number of items that DynamoDB returns in a single query or scan operation. It helps control how much data you get at once.

beginner

How does DynamoDB pagination work with LastEvaluatedKey?

DynamoDB returns a LastEvaluatedKey in the response when there are more items to fetch. You use this key as the ExclusiveStartKey in the next query to continue from where you left off.

beginner

Why is pagination important when querying large DynamoDB tables?

Pagination helps avoid loading too much data at once, which can slow down your app or cause timeouts. It lets you fetch data in smaller, manageable chunks.

intermediate

What happens if you don’t use Limit in a DynamoDB query?

DynamoDB returns up to 1 MB of data per request by default. If your data is large, this can be many items or fewer. Without Limit, you might get more data than you want in one go.

beginner

How do you fetch the next page of results in DynamoDB?

Use the LastEvaluatedKey from the previous query response as the ExclusiveStartKey in your next query request. This tells DynamoDB where to continue scanning or querying.

What does the Limit parameter control in a DynamoDB query?

A The number of queries allowed per second

B The total number of items in the table

C The size of each item

D The maximum number of items returned in one query

The Limit sets the max number of items returned in a single query or scan.

Which key do you use to get the next page of results in DynamoDB?

A ExclusiveStartKey

B PrimaryKey

C LastEvaluatedKey

D SortKey

You use the ExclusiveStartKey in the next query, which is set to the LastEvaluatedKey from the previous response.

If a DynamoDB query returns a LastEvaluatedKey, what does it mean?

A The query failed

B There are more items to fetch

C You reached the end of the table

D The table is empty

A LastEvaluatedKey means more data is available beyond the current page.

What is the default maximum data size DynamoDB returns per query without a Limit?

A 1 MB

B 10 MB

C 100 KB

D Unlimited

DynamoDB returns up to 1 MB of data per query or scan by default.

Why should you use pagination when querying large DynamoDB tables?

A To increase table size

B To speed up table creation

C To avoid loading too much data at once

D To delete items faster

Pagination helps manage data in smaller chunks, improving performance and user experience.

Explain how to use Limit and pagination to fetch data in chunks from a DynamoDB table.

Think about how you would read a book page by page.

Why is it important to handle pagination when working with large datasets in DynamoDB?

Consider what happens if you try to carry too many groceries at once.