limit method for pagination in MongoDB - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the limit() method do in MongoDB?

The limit() method restricts the number of documents returned by a query to a specified maximum number.

beginner

How is limit() used for pagination in MongoDB?

You use limit() to set how many documents to show per page, often combined with skip() to move through pages.

beginner

Example: What does db.collection.find().limit(5) do?

It returns only the first 5 documents from the collection that match the query.

intermediate

Why combine skip() with limit() for pagination?

Because <code>skip()</code> moves past a number of documents, and <code>limit()</code> controls how many to show, together they let you fetch a specific page of results.

intermediate

What happens if you use limit(0) in MongoDB?

Using limit(0) means no limit is applied, so all matching documents are returned.

What does limit(10) do in a MongoDB query?

A Returns exactly 10 documents

B Returns all documents except 10

C Returns up to 10 documents

D Skips the first 10 documents

limit(10) returns up to 10 documents, fewer if less are available.

Which method is commonly used with limit() for pagination?

A skip()

B findOne()

C sort()

D aggregate()

skip() is used to skip documents, helping to move through pages when combined with limit().

What will db.collection.find().limit(0) return?

A No documents

B All documents

C Only one document

D An error

limit(0) means no limit, so all matching documents are returned.

If you want to get the 3rd page of results with 5 documents per page, what should you use?

A skip(10).limit(5)

B skip(15).limit(5)

C limit(15).skip(5)

D limit(5).skip(10)

To get page 3 with 5 per page, skip (2 pages * 5) = 10 documents, then limit to 5.

Can limit() be used without skip() for pagination?

A No, it always needs skip()

B No, limit() is not for pagination

C Yes, for any page

D Yes, but only for the first page

limit() alone can show the first page, but to access other pages you need skip().

Explain how you would use limit() and skip() together to show page 4 of a list with 10 items per page.

Think about how many items to skip before showing the next 10.

Describe what happens if you use limit(0) in a MongoDB query and why it might be useful.

Consider what 'no limit' means for the number of documents returned.