Cursor Pagination & Lazy Collections at Scale in Laravel | Mohamed Said [Skip to content](#main) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01KT78WE565VEMM3PSNQAAB0MH.png) Mohamed SaidLaravel Backend Engineer ](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Projects](https://www.msaied.com/public/projects) - [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [Certificates](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [About](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) [ Contact](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) Menu Menu ---- Close - [HomeStart here](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [ProjectsCase studies](https://www.msaied.com/public/projects) - [ArticlesEngineering notes](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [CertificatesCredentials](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [AboutHow I work](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) - [ContactGet in touch](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) [Start a conversation](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email](mailto:hello@msaied.com) 1. [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) 2. / 3. [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) 4. / 5. Cursor Pagination, Chunked Iteration, and Lazy Collections at Scale in Laravel Cursor Pagination, Chunked Iteration, and Lazy Collections at Scale in Laravel =============================================================================== Offset pagination breaks under large datasets. Learn how cursor pagination, chunked iteration, and lazy collections each solve different scale problems in Laravel Eloquent — with real query trade-offs explained. ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp) [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com/public#person) Published 12 Jul 2026 · Updated 12 Jul 2026 · 4 min read ShareCopy linkCopied ![Cursor Pagination, Chunked Iteration, and Lazy Collections at Scale in Laravel](https://cdn.msaied.com/415/eb2d62822119280148e092d25b36c6ae.png) On this page +1. [Why Offset Pagination Fails at Scale](#why-offset-pagination-fails-at-scale) 2. [Cursor Pagination for User-Facing APIs](#cursor-pagination-for-user-facing-apis) 3. [Multi-column ordering](#multi-column-ordering) 4. [What cursor pagination cannot do](#what-cursor-pagination-cannot-do) 5. [Chunked Iteration for Background Processing](#chunked-iteration-for-background-processing) 6. [Lazy Collections for Memory-Efficient Streaming](#lazy-collections-for-memory-efficient-streaming) 7. [Combining lazy collections with chunking](#combining-lazy-collections-with-chunking) 8. [Choosing the Right Tool](#choosing-the-right-tool) 9. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) Why Offset Pagination Fails at Scale ------------------------------------ Offset-based pagination (`LIMIT 100 OFFSET 50000`) forces the database to scan and discard 50,000 rows before returning your page. On a table with millions of rows and no covering index, this becomes a full or near-full index scan on every page load. The deeper the page, the slower the query — linearly. Laravel gives you three tools to escape this trap: **cursor pagination**, **chunked iteration**, and **lazy collections**. They solve different problems and are not interchangeable. --- Cursor Pagination for User-Facing APIs -------------------------------------- Cursor pagination encodes the last-seen row's ordered column value into an opaque token. The next query uses a `WHERE` clause instead of `OFFSET`: ```php // Route handler $orders = Order::orderBy('id')->cursorPaginate(50); return OrderResource::collection($orders); ``` The generated SQL looks like: ```sql SELECT * FROM orders WHERE id > 1482930 ORDER BY id ASC LIMIT 50; ``` With an index on `id` (always true for PKs), this is an O(log n) seek regardless of depth. The cursor itself is a base64-encoded JSON payload containing the column values — it is not a page number. ### Multi-column ordering Cursor pagination works with compound order keys, but every column in `orderBy` must be included in the cursor: ```php $orders = Order::orderBy('created_at')->orderBy('id')->cursorPaginate(50); ``` Laravel encodes both `created_at` and `id` into the cursor token and generates the correct `WHERE (created_at, id) > (?, ?)` inequality. Ensure a composite index exists: ```php $table->index(['created_at', 'id']); ``` ### What cursor pagination cannot do - No random page access (you cannot jump to page 47). - No total count (avoid `withCount` unless you genuinely need it). - Ordering must be deterministic — avoid nullable columns without a tiebreaker. --- Chunked Iteration for Background Processing ------------------------------------------- When you need to process every row in a table — exports, migrations, recalculations — `chunk()` and `chunkById()` are your tools. They are not for pagination; they are for batch processing. ```php // Dangerous: chunk() with mutations can skip rows Order::where('status', 'pending')->chunk(500, function ($orders) { foreach ($orders as $order) { $order->update(['status' => 'processing']); // shifts the result set } }); ``` Use `chunkById()` whenever you mutate rows inside the callback. It re-anchors each chunk using the last seen primary key: ```php Order::where('status', 'pending') ->chunkById(500, function ($orders) { foreach ($orders as $order) { ProcessOrder::dispatch($order); } }); ``` The underlying SQL uses `WHERE id > ? ORDER BY id LIMIT 500` — the same cursor-style seek as cursor pagination, but driven internally. --- Lazy Collections for Memory-Efficient Streaming ----------------------------------------------- `LazyCollection` wraps a PHP generator. Eloquent's `cursor()` method streams rows one at a time from the database, keeping only the current model in memory: ```php Order::where('status', 'pending') ->cursor() ->each(function (Order $order) { ProcessOrder::dispatch($order); }); ``` This uses a single unbuffered query. Memory stays flat regardless of result set size. The trade-off: the database connection is held open for the entire iteration. For long-running processes or large tables, this can exhaust connection pool slots. ### Combining lazy collections with chunking ```php Order::cursor() ->chunk(200) ->each(function ($chunk) { Order::whereIn('id', $chunk->pluck('id')) ->update(['processed_at' => now()]); }); ``` This streams rows lazily but batches the writes — a useful hybrid when you need both low memory and efficient bulk updates. --- Choosing the Right Tool ----------------------- | Scenario | Tool | |---|---| | User-facing paginated API | `cursorPaginate()` | | Background batch processing | `chunkById()` | | Memory-constrained streaming | `cursor()` + `LazyCollection` | | Bulk mutations on large tables | `chunkById()` | | Piping results through a pipeline | `cursor()` | --- Key Takeaways ------------- - Offset pagination degrades linearly; replace it with `cursorPaginate()` for any user-facing list. - Always prefer `chunkById()` over `chunk()` when mutating rows inside the callback. - `cursor()` streams one model at a time via a generator — ideal for memory-sensitive pipelines but holds the DB connection open. - Compound order keys in cursor pagination require matching composite indexes. - Lazy collections compose with standard Collection methods, making them easy to integrate into existing pipelines. - [laravel](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=laravel) - [eloquent](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=eloquent) - [performance](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=performance) - [pagination](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=pagination) - [php](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=php) Frequently asked questions --------------------------- Can I use cursor pagination with a non-primary-key sort column?Yes. Add the column to `orderBy()` and ensure a composite index that includes both the sort column and the primary key as a tiebreaker. Without the tiebreaker, duplicate values in the sort column will cause rows to be skipped or repeated. When should I use `cursor()` instead of `chunkById()`?`cursor()` is best when you need to pipe results through a lazy pipeline or keep memory flat without caring about connection duration. `chunkById()` is better for long-running batch jobs where you want to release the connection between chunks and avoid holding it open for minutes. Does `cursorPaginate()` support total row counts?No. Cursor pagination intentionally omits the COUNT query for performance. If you need a total, run a separate `count()` query and cache it — but reconsider whether a total is truly necessary for your UI. ![Mohamed Said](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp)About the author ---------------- [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com/public#person)Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Laravel, scalable SaaS platforms, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. I build secure, high-performance web applications that help businesses grow. [About](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) [GitHub ↗](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msaiedm/) [WhatsApp ↗](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email Address ↗](mailto:hello@msaied.com) [My CV ↗](https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1MF20IPRJyzfy32mhEutjL5EpSls0w2Q8/view) [Previous articleJob Batching, Chaining, and Rate-Limited Middleware for Laravel Queues](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/job-batching-chaining-and-rate-limited-middleware-for-laravel-queues) [Next articleLaravel Broadcasting with Reverb: Private Channels, Presence, and Auth Guards](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/laravel-broadcasting-with-reverb-private-channels-presence-and-auth-guards) On this page ------------- 1. [Why Offset Pagination Fails at Scale](#why-offset-pagination-fails-at-scale) 2. [Cursor Pagination for User-Facing APIs](#cursor-pagination-for-user-facing-apis) 3. [Multi-column ordering](#multi-column-ordering) 4. [What cursor pagination cannot do](#what-cursor-pagination-cannot-do) 5. [Chunked Iteration for Background Processing](#chunked-iteration-for-background-processing) 6. [Lazy Collections for Memory-Efficient Streaming](#lazy-collections-for-memory-efficient-streaming) 7. [Combining lazy collections with chunking](#combining-lazy-collections-with-chunking) 8. [Choosing the Right Tool](#choosing-the-right-tool) 9. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) ### Have a technical challenge? Tell me what you’re building. I reply within two working days. [Start a conversation](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) Related articles ----------------- [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/740/cce86edc21eddcbdd2f2454fadaf9c70.png) · 3 min read### The Pipeline Pattern in Laravel: Custom Pipelines Beyond Middleware 5 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/the-pipeline-pattern-in-laravel-custom-pipelines-beyond-middleware-1) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/739/2d6897fdcdcf090613f96f72a64b8a78.png) · 4 min read### MySQL Full-Text Search in Laravel: Indexes, Relevance Scoring, and Boolean Mode 4 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/mysql-full-text-search-in-laravel-indexes-relevance-scoring-and-boolean-mode) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/738/073696a3fefe18bec825beec5ac658f5.png) · 4 min read### Laravel Queue Rate-Limited Middleware: Throttling Jobs Without Losing Work 4 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/laravel-queue-rate-limited-middleware-throttling-jobs-without-losing-work) Have a technical challenge? ---------------------------- Tell me what you’re building. I reply within two working days. [Discuss your project ↗](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) © 2026 Mohamed Said · Built with Laravel, meant to last.Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Laravel, scalable SaaS platforms, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. I build secure, high-performance web applications that help businesses grow. - [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [Certificates](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [GitHub](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msaiedm/) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/201094619204) - [Email Address](mailto:hello@msaied.com) - [My CV](https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1MF20IPRJyzfy32mhEutjL5EpSls0w2Q8/view) - [Sitemap](https://www.msaied.com/public/sitemap.xml)