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For a changing feed that readers move through one page at a time, cursor (keyset) pagination usually avoids boundary shifts better than offset pagination. That depends on a fully unique, stable sort order. Neither method by itself freezes the dataset: use an explicit database or API snapshot mechanism if every page must reflect the same point-in-time results.
Why offset pagination can skip or repeat rows
Offset pagination counts past a number of rows in the current query result, then returns the next page. For example, page two of a 20-row page might request OFFSET 20. If a new row is inserted near the start after page one was read, rows shift down the result: the next request can return a row that was already on page one. A deletion before the boundary can shift rows the other way, causing a row to be skipped.
A unique ORDER BY makes each individual query’s order predictable, but it does not make separate requests use the same result set. PostgreSQL explains both the need for predictable ordering and the potential inefficiency of large offsets in its LIMIT and OFFSET documentation.
How cursor (keyset) pagination changes the boundary
Instead of asking for rows after a count, keyset pagination asks for rows after the last row’s sort key on the previous page. The cursor stores that key, and the next query uses a seek predicate to continue from it. Inserts or deletes at positions before the cursor do not shift the continuation point as they do with an offset.
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This is a stronger boundary for sequential traversal, not a promise that every request sees an identical dataset. A newly inserted row that sorts after the cursor may appear on a later page; a row deleted before it is fetched will not be returned. If a sort key changes, a row can move across the cursor boundary. Microsoft’s EF Core pagination guidance describes the seek approach and its behavior, while emphasizing the need for a unique ordering.
Comparison: which method fits the navigation?
| Decision | Offset pagination | Cursor/keyset pagination |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Numbered pages and jumping directly to a page. | Sequential next/previous traversal, such as a feed. |
| Changing rows before the current position | Can shift the numeric boundary, causing repeated or missed rows across requests. | Does not shift the seek position when lower-key rows change, as in Microsoft’s documented example; other changes can still affect later results. |
| Ordering | Needs a fully unique order for predictable page contents. | Also needs a fully unique order; add a unique tie-breaker when sort values can tie. |
| Deep-page work | Skipped rows still have to be computed, so large offsets may be inefficient. | A suitable index and seek predicate can avoid starting from the beginning; actual performance depends on the schema, query plan, and workload. |
| Arbitrary page jumps | Supported through page-number arithmetic, though changing data can shift contents. | Not inherent to keyset pagination. |
| Frozen point-in-time results | Not provided by offset syntax alone. | Not provided by a cursor alone. |
Build a cursor on a unique, stable order
Suppose a feed uses created_at DESC, id DESC, with id unique. Fetch rows in that order, retain the final row’s timestamp and ID, then request rows lexicographically after that pair in the same descending order. Apply the same page limit. The ID tie-breaker makes the order unique even when timestamps match. The exact predicate syntax varies by database and API.
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Prefer immutable ordering keys. If a sort value can change, decide how a row moving across the cursor should appear. If clients can edit continuation tokens, protect the ordering values and relevant query context—for example, by encoding or authenticating them—so a modified token cannot silently alter the continuation. Microsoft’s guidance explains the general seek pattern; it does not prescribe one token format for every application.
Offset pagination can still use the same unique order on every request. That makes each page deterministic at the time it is queried, but not immune to inserts or deletes between requests.
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A cursor is not a snapshot
A cursor records where to continue; it does not automatically preserve the original membership or values of the result set. When an application requires every page to represent one point in time, use a database transaction, snapshot, or API consistency feature that explicitly provides that guarantee. Confirm its scope and limits for the specific database and operation.
DynamoDB illustrates why consistency claims must be operation-specific. Its Query pagination documentation describes continuation with LastEvaluatedKey. A Scan does not provide snapshot isolation, even when strongly consistent reads are requested; DynamoDB also does not offer strongly consistent reads on global secondary indexes. Do not infer snapshot guarantees from the presence of a continuation key or from consistency options for another operation.
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Handle continuation tokens correctly
For DynamoDB Query, a nonempty LastEvaluatedKey is a continuation position, not proof that another matching item will be returned. A filter can remove every evaluated item from a page while a continuation key remains. Continue querying until the key is empty if the goal is to exhaust the result set. AWS documents this behavior in its Query pagination guidance.
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Choose by the reader’s journey
- Choose keyset pagination for a changing feed or large sequential traversal where stable continuation matters more than numbered-page jumps. Use a unique order and keep its keys stable where possible.
- Choose offset pagination when users genuinely need numbered pages or arbitrary jumps, and accept that concurrent inserts or deletes can change page contents.
- Choose an explicit snapshot or consistency mechanism when the requirement is a fixed point-in-time result set. Neither pagination style supplies that property on its own.
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