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Note: This is a part of our series on API Pagination where we solve common developer queries in detail with common examples and code snippets. Please read the full guide here where we discuss page size, error handling, pagination stability, caching strategies and more.
Ensure that the pagination remains stable and consistent between requests. Newly added or deleted records should not affect the order or positioning of existing records during pagination. This ensures that users can navigate through the data without encountering unexpected changes.
5 ways for pagination stability
To ensure that API pagination remains stable and consistent between requests, follow these guidelines:
1. Use a stable sorting mechanism
If you're implementing sorting in your pagination, ensure that the sorting mechanism remains stable.
This means that when multiple records have the same value for the sorting field, their relative order should not change between requests.
For example, if you sort by the "date" field, make sure that records with the same date always appear in the same order.
2. Avoid changing data order
Avoid making any changes to the order or positioning of records during pagination, unless explicitly requested by the API consumer.
If new records are added or existing records are modified, they should not disrupt the pagination order or cause existing records to shift unexpectedly.
3. Use unique and immutable identifiers
It's good practice to use unique and immutable identifiers for the records being paginated. T
This ensures that even if the data changes, the identifiers remain constant, allowing consistent pagination. It can be a primary key or a unique identifier associated with each record.
4. Handle record deletions gracefully
If a record is deleted between paginated requests, it should not affect the pagination order or cause missing records.
Ensure that the deletion of a record does not leave a gap in the pagination sequence.
For example, if record X is deleted, subsequent requests should not suddenly skip to record Y without any explanation.
5. Use deterministic pagination techniques
Employ pagination techniques that offer deterministic results. Techniques like cursor-based pagination or keyset pagination, where the pagination is based on specific attributes like timestamps or unique identifiers, provide stability and consistency between requests.
Also Read: 5 caching strategies to improve API pagination performance
