Page-based pagination in Rest API - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is page-based pagination in REST APIs?

Page-based pagination is a method to split large sets of data into smaller chunks called pages. Each page contains a fixed number of items, and clients request data by specifying the page number and size.

beginner

Which two parameters are commonly used in page-based pagination requests?

The two common parameters are page (the page number to fetch) and page_size or limit (how many items per page).

beginner

Why is page-based pagination useful in APIs?

It helps reduce the amount of data sent at once, improving performance and user experience by loading data in manageable parts.

intermediate

How does the server know which data to send for page=3 with page_size=10?

The server calculates the starting point as (page - 1) × page_size, so for page 3 and size 10, it sends items from index 20 to 29.

intermediate

What is a common downside of page-based pagination?

If data changes between requests (like new items added), page numbers might shift, causing users to miss or see duplicate items.

Which parameter typically specifies the number of items per page in page-based pagination?

A offset

B page_size

C cursor

D token

The page_size parameter tells the server how many items to include in each page.

If you request page=2 and page_size=5, which items does the server return?

A Items 0 to 4

B Items 2 to 6

C Items 10 to 14

D Items 5 to 9

Page 2 means the second group of 5 items, so items 5 to 9 (0-based index).

What happens if the client requests a page number beyond the available data?

A Server returns an error

B Server returns the last page again

C Server returns an empty list

D Server ignores the page parameter

The server usually returns an empty list to indicate no more data.

Which of these is a limitation of page-based pagination?

A It can cause duplicate or missing items if data changes

B It requires complex tokens

C It loads all data at once

D It does not support page numbers

If data changes between requests, page numbers may shift, causing duplicates or missing items.

What is the main benefit of using page-based pagination?

A Reduces data sent per request for better performance

B Improves API security

C Allows unlimited data retrieval

D Automatically sorts data

Page-based pagination limits data per request, improving speed and user experience.

Explain how page-based pagination works in a REST API and why it is useful.

Think about how you might read a book one chapter at a time instead of all at once.

Describe a potential problem when using page-based pagination if the data changes between requests.

Imagine a list that changes while you are flipping pages.