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Pagination

The OpenMetadata API uses cursor-based pagination for list endpoints. This ensures consistent results even when data changes between requests.

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Pagination Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
limitinteger10Number of results per page (max 1000)
beforestring-Cursor for previous page
afterstring-Cursor for next page

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Response Fields

The paging object contains:
FieldTypeDescription
totalintegerTotal count of matching resources
beforestringCursor for the previous page (if available)
afterstringCursor for the next page (if available)

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Examples

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Basic Pagination

Basic Pagination
from metadata.sdk import Tables
from metadata.sdk.entities.tables import TableListParams

# Get first page
params = TableListParams.builder().limit(20).build()
first_page = Tables.list(params)

print(f"Total tables: {first_page.paging.total}")
for table in first_page.data:
    print(table.fullyQualifiedName)

# Get next page using after cursor
if first_page.paging.after:
    next_params = TableListParams.builder().limit(20).after(first_page.paging.after).build()
    next_page = Tables.list(next_params)
    for table in next_page.data:
        print(table.fullyQualifiedName)

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Iterating Through All Results

Iterating Results
from metadata.sdk import Tables

# Auto-paginate through all tables
for table in Tables.list().auto_paging_iterable():
    print(table.fullyQualifiedName)
    # Process each table...

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Filtering with Pagination

Combine pagination with filters for efficient data retrieval:
Filtering
from metadata.sdk import Tables
from metadata.sdk.entities.tables import TableListParams

# List tables from a specific database with fields
params = TableListParams.builder() \
    .limit(50) \
    .fields(["owners", "tags"]) \
    .build()
tables = Tables.list(params)

for table in tables.data:
    print(table.fullyQualifiedName)

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Include Fields

Control which fields are returned in the response using the fields parameter: 
# Request specific fields
curl -X GET "https://your-company.open-metadata.org/api/v1/tables?fields=owner,tags,columns&limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"
Common field options for tables:
  • owner - Include owner information
  • tags - Include tags and classifications
  • columns - Include column definitions
  • followers - Include followers
  • tableConstraints - Include constraints
  • usageSummary - Include usage statistics

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Best Practices

1

Use reasonable page sizes

Start with limit=50-100. Larger pages reduce API calls but increase memory usage.
2

Don't skip pages

Always use cursors sequentially. Don’t try to construct cursor values manually.
3

Handle empty results

Check if data array is empty or after cursor is null to detect end of results.
4

Request only needed fields

Use the fields parameter to reduce response size and improve performance.
5

Implement retry logic

Handle transient errors gracefully when paginating through large datasets.
For finding specific resources, consider using the Search API instead of paginating through all results: 
# Search is faster for finding specific resources
curl -X GET "https://your-company.open-metadata.org/api/v1/search/query?q=customers&index=table_search_index" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"

Search API

Learn about searching and filtering metadata