Why Database Cursor-Based Pagination Is Faster Than Offset

Episode 54 of Database Tech with Fexingo dives into cursor-based pagination — a technique that avoids the performance pitfalls of traditional offset/limit queries. Lucas explains how offset forces the database to scan and discard rows, while cursor pagination uses a unique key to jump directly to the next page. Luna brings up a real-world case: a SaaS company that reduced API response times from 800ms to 50ms by switching to cursors. They discuss implementation trade-offs, including when cursors break (filtering, sorting by non-unique fields), and how to handle 'no previous page' scenarios. This episode is packed with concrete examples and practical advice for engineers building data-intensive applications. #DatabasePerformance #Pagination #CursorBasedPagination #SQL #NoSQL #APIDesign #QueryOptimization #BackendEngineering #DatabaseScaling #OffsetLimit #DataPagination #DatabaseTips #SoftwareEngineering #TechPodcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #DatabaseTech #EngineeringBestPractices Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo