Question 1

How to implement cursor pagination in a Rails API?

Accepted Answer

Add the gem to your Gemfile, run bundle install, then use the cursor_paginate method on ActiveRecord relations. For example, Post.cursor_paginate(order: :created_at) fetches the first page with encoded cursors for stable navigation.

Question 2

Cursor pagination vs offset pagination in Rails: which is better?

Accepted Answer

Cursor pagination is better for large, dynamic datasets (e.g., APIs, infinite scroll) as it prevents result jumps when data changes. Offset pagination is simpler for small, static data but can be unstable and slower with offsets.

Question 3

How to order by multiple columns with ActiveRecordCursorPaginate?

Accepted Answer

Pass an array or hash to the order parameter, e.g., order: [:author, :title] for ascending, or order: { author: :asc, title: :desc }. The gem appends the primary key for uniqueness unless you set append_primary_key: false.

Question 4

Can I use cursor pagination with joined tables in Rails?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but you must specify fully qualified column names and wrap custom SQL in Arel.sql, e.g., order: Arel.sql('projects.id'). Ensure proper indexing on the joined columns for performance.

Question 5

What database indexes are needed for optimal performance?

Accepted Answer

For custom order columns, add compound indexes on (order_column, id). For example, if ordering by email, create an index on (email, id) in MySQL or PostgreSQL, as shown in the README migration example.

Question 6

How to handle NULL values in order columns with this gem?

Accepted Answer

The README doesn't specify, but cursor pagination can struggle with NULLs. Consider using COALESCE in custom SQL expressions (e.g., Arel.sql('COALESCE(column, default_value)')) or ensure your database handles NULLs consistently in indexes.

activerecord_cursor_paginate

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