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Offset vs Cursor Pagination in EF Core - which one should you use and why does it matter at scale?

In this video, you'll implement both pagination strategies in a .NET Web API with EF Core and SQL Server, 
then compare their query execution plans to make the right architectural decision for your project.

Offset pagination is simple and familiar - but cursor pagination wins at scale. In this tutorial, 
we cover both approaches using EF Core with SQL Server, walking through a real .NET Web API project. 
You'll see exactly how each strategy behaves under the hood through query execution plans, 
and learn when to reach for cursor pagination over the traditional offset/skip approach in C# and ASP.NET Core.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS
00:00-01:48 Introduction
01:48-04:24 Offset vs Cursor pagination theory
04:24-06:32 Project overview - .NET Web API, EF Core, SQL Server database
06:32-10:00 Offset pagination in EF Core
10:00-16:29 Cursor pagination in EF Core
16:29-19:23 Query execution plan offset and cursor pagination
19:23-21:34 When to use offset and when cursor pagination

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We Are .NET

A practical tutorial comparing offset and cursor-based pagination in .NET using Entity Framework Core. Offset pagination is simple but degrades at scale because the database must scan and sort all preceding rows before discarding them. Cursor pagination uses a Base64-encoded cursor (last ID + created_at) in a WHERE clause with a composite index, enabling an index seek instead of a full scan. The tutorial walks through implementing both approaches with a .NET 10 minimal API, seeding 100k rows, and analyzing query execution plans in SQL Server Management Studio to demonstrate the performance difference. Guidance is provided on when to use each: offset for admin panels with random page access and small datasets, cursor for infinite scroll feeds, high-traffic APIs, and real-time data.

Offset vs Cursor Pagination in EF Core (.NET)