add_pagination_links.md

Back to Guides

How to add pagination links

JSON API adapter

Pagination links will be included in your response automatically as long as the resource is paginated and if you are using the JsonApi adapter.

If you want pagination links in your response, use Kaminari or WillPaginate.

Although the other adapters do not have this feature, it is possible to implement pagination links to JSON adapter. For more information about it, please check our docs.

Kaminari examples

#array
@posts = Kaminari.paginate_array([1, 2, 3]).page(3).per(1)
render json: @posts

#active_record
@posts = Post.page(3).per(1)
render json: @posts

WillPaginate examples

#array
@posts = [1,2,3].paginate(page: 3, per_page: 1)
render json: @posts

#active_record
@posts = Post.page(3).per_page(1)
render json: @posts

ActiveModelSerializers.config.adapter = :json_api

ex:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "type": "articles",
      "id": "3",
      "attributes": {
        "title": "JSON API paints my bikeshed!",
        "body": "The shortest article. Ever.",
        "created": "2015-05-22T14:56:29.000Z",
        "updated": "2015-05-22T14:56:28.000Z"
      }
    }
  ],
  "links": {
    "self": "http://example.com/articles?page[number]=3&page[size]=1",
    "first": "http://example.com/articles?page[number]=1&page[size]=1",
    "prev": "http://example.com/articles?page[number]=2&page[size]=1",
    "next": "http://example.com/articles?page[number]=4&page[size]=1",
    "last": "http://example.com/articles?page[number]=13&page[size]=1"
  }
}

ActiveModelSerializers pagination relies on a paginated collection with the methods current_page, total_pages, and size, such as are supported by both Kaminari or WillPaginate.

JSON adapter

If you are using JSON adapter, pagination links will not be included automatically, but it is possible to do so using meta key.

Add this method to your base API controller.

def pagination_dict(object)
  {
    current_page: object.current_page,
    next_page: object.next_page,
    prev_page: object.prev_page, # use object.previous_page when using will_paginate
    total_pages: object.total_pages,
    total_count: object.total_count
  }
end

Then, use it on your render method.

render json: posts, meta: pagination_dict(posts)

ex.

{
  "posts": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "title": "JSON API paints my bikeshed!",
      "body": "The shortest article. Ever."
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "current_page": 3,
    "next_page": 4,
    "prev_page": 2,
    "total_pages": 10,
    "total_count": 10
  }
}

You can also achieve the same result if you have a helper method that adds the pagination info in the meta tag. For instance, in your action specify a custom serializer.

render json: @posts, each_serializer: PostPreviewSerializer, meta: meta_attributes(@post)

#expects pagination!
def meta_attributes(resource, extra_meta = {})
  {
    current_page: resource.current_page,
    next_page: resource.next_page,
    prev_page: resource.prev_page, # use resource.previous_page when using will_paginate
    total_pages: resource.total_pages,
    total_count: resource.total_count
  }.merge(extra_meta)
end

Attributes adapter

This adapter does not allow us to use meta key, due to that it is not possible to add pagination links.