Keyset Pagination
Keyset pagination is a database pagination technique that uses a unique, ordered column (or set of columns) as a cursor to fetch the next set of results efficiently. It works by selecting rows where the cursor value is greater than (or less than) the last seen value from the previous page, typically using WHERE clauses with indexed columns. This method avoids performance issues common in offset-based pagination, such as skipped or duplicate rows when data changes between queries.
Developers should use keyset pagination when building applications that require efficient, stable pagination over large datasets, especially in real-time or frequently updated systems like social media feeds, e-commerce product listings, or log viewers. It is ideal because it leverages database indexes for fast queries, prevents performance degradation as offset values increase, and ensures consistency by avoiding issues from concurrent data modifications.