Server-Side Pagination vs. Client-Side Pagination

Pagination is an essential feature in web applications that manage large datasets. Without it, loading all available data simultaneously can lead to poor user experiences, slower load times, and even application crashes. Pagination solves this by breaking large datasets into smaller, manageable chunks. The two main types of pagination are server-side pagination and client-side pagination. This post explores both approaches, discussing their workings, benefits, drawbacks, and use cases. 🔻

What is Pagination?

Pagination splits content into "pages" instead of displaying all data at once. For instance, on an e-commerce platform with thousands of products, pagination ensures that only a subset of products is displayed per page, accompanied by navigation controls like "Next" and "Previous."

Why is Pagination Necessary?

1. Improves User Experience: Smaller data chunks prevent overwhelming users with information and ensure a smooth browsing experience.
2. Reduces Load Times: Pagination loads only relevant data for each view, minimizing wait times.
3. Saves Resources: It reduces memory usage and server strain by processing only part of the dataset at a time.

However, the effectiveness of pagination depends on its implementation. Let’s explore the differences between server-side and client-side pagination.

Server-Side Pagination

SSP - How It Works

In server-side pagination, the server handles data processing and retrieves only the required subset of data for the current view. For example, when displaying 20 items per page, the client requests these 20 items from the server. Navigating to the next page triggers another request to fetch the subsequent 20 items.

SSP - Advantages

1. Efficient Data Handling for Large Datasets: Ideal for applications with millions of records.
2. Faster Initial Load Times: Only a small portion of data is loaded at once, which benefits devices with limited resources.
3. Scalability: Server-side pagination efficiently handles growing datasets.
4. Reduced Memory Usage on Client: The client only processes one page at a time, conserving resources.

SSP - Disadvantages

1. Increased Server Load: Frequent server queries for new pages can strain resources if not optimized.
2. Network Latency: Additional requests for each page can slow navigation on poor connections.
3. Complex Implementation: Handling filters, sorting, and dynamic updates on the server requires intricate logic.

Best Use Cases

• Applications with large datasets (e.g., e-commerce platforms, social media feeds).
• Scenarios where client devices have limited memory or processing power.

Client-Side Pagination

CSP - How It Works

In client-side pagination, all data is fetched in a single request. The client then handles pagination locally, allowing users to navigate pages without additional server requests.

CSP - Advantages

1. Fast Page Switching: Since all data is loaded upfront, navigation between pages is instantaneous.
2. Reduced Server Load: After the initial request, the server is no longer involved in pagination.
3. Simpler UI Updates: Enables real-time sorting, filtering, and searching without additional server interactions.

CSP - Disadvantages

1. Slow Initial Load: Fetching all data upfront can delay page loading, especially for large datasets.
2. High Memory Usage: Large datasets can overwhelm the client’s memory, leading to performance issues.
3. Limited Scalability: As dataset sizes grow, client-side pagination becomes less viable.

CSP - Best Use Cases

• Applications with small-to-medium datasets (e.g., lists of 100–500 items).
• Rich interactive UIs requiring extensive client-side filtering or searching.

Server-Side vs Client-Side Pagination: Performance Comparison

Choosing the Right Approach

• Server-Side Pagination: Use when datasets are large, and client resources are limited.
• Client-Side Pagination: Use for small datasets requiring fast navigation and interactive features.

Implementation Examples

Server-Side Pagination in Next.js

Server-side pagination fetches data for each page request.

1import Link from 'next/link';
2
3export default function Blog({ posts, totalPages, currentPage }) {
4  return (
5    <div>
6      <h1>Blog Articles</h1>
7      {posts.map(post => (
8        <div key={post.id}>
9          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
10          <p>{post.content.substring(0, 150)}...</p>
11          <Link href={`/blog/${post.id}`}>Read more</Link>
12        </div>
13      ))}
14
15      <div className="pagination">
16        {Array.from({ length: totalPages }, (_, index) => (
17          <Link key={index} href={`/blog?page=${index + 1}`}>
18            <a className={currentPage === index + 1 ? 'active' : ''}>{index + 1}</a>
19          </Link>
20        ))}
21      </div>
22    </div>
23  );
24}
25
26export async function getServerSideProps(context) {
27  const { page = 1 } = context.query;
28  const limit = 5;
29  const offset = (page - 1) * limit;
30
31  const res = await fetch(`https://api.example.com/posts?limit=${limit}&offset=${offset}`);
32  const data = await res.json();
33
34  return {
35    props: {
36      posts: data.posts,
37      totalPages: Math.ceil(data.total / limit),
38      currentPage: parseInt(page, 10),
39    },
40  };
41}
42

Client-Side Pagination in React

Client-side pagination loads all data upfront and handles pagination locally.

1import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
2
3export default function Blog() {
4  const [posts, setPosts] = useState([]);
5  const [currentPage, setCurrentPage] = useState(1);
6  const postsPerPage = 5;
7
8  useEffect(() => {
9    async function fetchPosts() {
10      const res = await fetch('<https://api.example.com/posts>');
11      const data = await res.json();
12      setPosts(data.posts);
13    }
14    fetchPosts();
15  }, []);
16
17  const indexOfLastPost = currentPage * postsPerPage;
18  const indexOfFirstPost = indexOfLastPost - postsPerPage;
19  const currentPosts = posts.slice(indexOfFirstPost, indexOfLastPost);
20
21  return (
22    <div>
23      <h1>Blog Articles</h1>
24      {currentPosts.map(post => (
25        <div key={post.id}>
26          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
27          <p>{post.content.substring(0, 150)}...</p>
28        </div>
29      ))}
30
31      <div className="pagination">
32        {Array.from({ length: Math.ceil(posts.length / postsPerPage) }, (_, index) => (
33          <button
34            key={index}
35            onClick={() => setCurrentPage(index + 1)}
36            className={currentPage === index + 1 ? 'active' : ''}
37          >
38            {index + 1}
39          </button>
40        ))}
41      </div>
42    </div>
43  );
44}
45

Conclusion 🔻

Choosing between server-side and client-side pagination depends on your application’s needs. Server-side pagination is optimal for large datasets and resource-constrained clients, while client-side pagination suits smaller datasets and interactive UIs. Understanding these approaches and their trade-offs enables developers to build efficient, user-friendly applications.