Pagination patterns (cursor, offset) in HLD - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is offset-based pagination?

Offset-based pagination uses a number to skip a set of records and then fetch the next set. For example, skip 20 items and get the next 10. It is simple but can be slow with large data.

beginner

What is cursor-based pagination?

Cursor-based pagination uses a unique identifier (cursor) from the last item fetched to get the next set. It is faster and more reliable for large or changing data.

intermediate

Name one advantage of cursor pagination over offset pagination.

Cursor pagination avoids skipping records and handles data changes better, so it prevents missing or repeating items when data updates during pagination.

intermediate

What is a common drawback of offset pagination?

Offset pagination can be slow on large datasets because the database must count and skip many rows before returning results.

intermediate

When should you prefer cursor pagination?

Use cursor pagination when you have large or frequently updated data and want consistent, fast pagination without missing or duplicating items.

Which pagination method uses a unique identifier from the last item fetched?

A Limit-based pagination

B Offset-based pagination

C Cursor-based pagination

D Page number pagination

Cursor-based pagination uses a unique cursor from the last item to fetch the next set.

What is a main disadvantage of offset pagination?

A It can be slow on large datasets

B It requires a cursor

C It cannot handle updates

D It is complex to implement

Offset pagination can be slow because it skips many rows before fetching results.

Which pagination pattern is better for frequently changing data?

A No pagination

B Offset pagination

C Page number pagination

D Cursor pagination

Cursor pagination handles data changes better by using unique cursors.

In offset pagination, what does the offset number represent?

A The starting position to skip to

B The number of items to fetch

C The unique ID of the last item

D The total number of pages

Offset is the number of items to skip before fetching the next set.

Which pagination method can cause duplicate or missing items if data changes during pagination?

A Cursor pagination

B Offset pagination

C Infinite scrolling

D Keyset pagination

Offset pagination can cause duplicates or misses if data changes between requests.

Explain the difference between cursor-based and offset-based pagination.

Think about how each method fetches the next set of data.

Describe scenarios where cursor pagination is preferred over offset pagination.

Consider data size and update frequency.