SQL Pagination: Why OFFSET Gets Slower
A deep page may force the database to walk many rows before returning a small result. This guide gives you a small, testable way to approach the issue before changing a live system.
A practical workflow
- Use a stable sort with a unique tie-breaker and measure a deep OFFSET query.
- For sequential browsing, try keyset pagination using the last seen sort value and ID.
What to check
Keyset pagination does not directly support arbitrary page numbers; choose according to the interface. Compare the result with the original problem and record what changed. If a measurement or test does not support the change, revisit the assumption rather than adding more complexity.
Keep the experiment small enough to reverse. Document the starting state, the change and the result so another person can repeat the process. Product menus and versions can change, so check the current documentation for your environment.
Official reference: Read the documentation.