How would you design pagination, filtering, and sorting for a list endpoint in an ASP.NET Core API?

Design pagination, filtering, and sorting for an API

Design list endpoints with pagination, filtering, sorting, limits, and database-aware performance behavior.

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I make list endpoints bounded and deterministic. The API provides a default page size, enforces a maximum, accepts only documented filters and sort fields, and always adds a unique tie-breaker such as Id to the ordering. The response returns the items plus the paging information the client needs. That prevents an ordinary list request from becoming an unlimited database and memory operation.

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query usability, database performance, limits, stable ordering, response shape, and production guardrails

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Why this question matters
A list endpoint needs bounded result size, deterministic ordering, validated filter and sort options, and a pagination model that matches database access patterns. The public contract and supporting indexes need to evolve together as data volume grows.
I make list endpoints bounded and deterministic. The API provides a default page size, enforces a maximum, accepts only documented filters and sort fields, and always adds a unique tie-breaker such as Id to the ordering. The response returns the items plus the paging information the client needs. That prevents an ordinary list request from becoming an unlimited database and memory operation.
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I choose offset or cursor pagination from the data and user experience. Offset is simple and supports jumping to a page, but deep offsets become expensive and concurrent inserts can shift rows between pages. A cursor based on the ordered columns scales better for long, changing lists, provided the ordering is stable and the cursor is opaque to clients. I validate filter combinations, decide whether a total count is worth its query cost, and return links or cursors without exposing raw SQL concepts.

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Allowing unlimited page sizes
Using deep offset pagination without checking query plans
Letting clients sort by any field blindly
Forgetting stable ordering
Returning huge object graphs from list endpoints

How would you design pagination, filtering, and sorting for a list endpoint in an ASP.NET Core API?

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