What is the best way to paginate results in SQL Server

Question

What is the best way (performance wise) to paginate results in SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012 if you also want to get the total number of results (before paginating)?

Answer 1

These are my solutions for paging the result of query in SQL server side. these approaches are different between SQL Server 2008 and 2012. Also, I have added the concept of filtering and order by with one column. It is very efficient when you are paging and filtering and ordering in your Gridview.

Before testing, you have to create one sample table and insert some row in this table : (In real world you have to change Where clause considering your table fields and maybe you have some join and subquery in main part of select)

Create Table VLT
(
    ID int IDentity(1,1),
    Name nvarchar(50),
    Tel Varchar(20)
)
GO


Insert INTO VLT
VALUES
    ('NAME' + Convert(varchar(10),@@identity),'FAMIL' + Convert(varchar(10),@@identity))
GO 500000

In all of these sample, I want to query 200 rows per page and I am fetching the row for page number 1200.

In SQL server 2008, you can use the CTE concept. Because of that, I have written two type of query for SQL server 2008+

-- SQL Server 2008+

DECLARE @PageNumber Int = 1200
DECLARE @PageSize INT = 200
DECLARE @SortByField int = 1 --The field used for sort by
DECLARE @SortOrder nvarchar(255) = 'ASC' --ASC or DESC
DECLARE @FilterType nvarchar(255) = 'None' --The filter type, as defined on the client side (None/Contain/NotContain/Match/NotMatch/True/False/)
DECLARE @FilterValue nvarchar(255) = '' --The value the user gave for the filter
DECLARE @FilterColumn int = 1 --The column to wich the filter is applied, represents the column number like when we send the information.

SELECT 
  Data.ID,
  Data.Name,
  Data.Tel
FROM
  (  
    SELECT 
      ROW_NUMBER() 
        OVER( ORDER BY 
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.ID END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.ID END DESC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.Name END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.Name END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.Tel END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.Tel END ASC
         ) AS RowNum
      ,*  
    FROM VLT 
    WHERE
      ( -- We apply the filter logic here
        CASE
          WHEN @FilterType = 'None' THEN 1

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID <> @FilterValue THEN 1               

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name <> @FilterValue THEN 1         

         -- Tel column filter   
         WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel <> @FilterValue THEN 1    

        END
      ) = 1   
  ) AS Data
WHERE Data.RowNum > @PageSize * (@PageNumber - 1)
  AND Data.RowNum <= @PageSize * @PageNumber
ORDER BY Data.RowNum

GO

And second solution with CTE in SQL server 2008+

DECLARE @PageNumber Int = 1200
DECLARE @PageSize INT = 200
DECLARE @SortByField int = 1 --The field used for sort by
DECLARE @SortOrder nvarchar(255) = 'ASC' --ASC or DESC
DECLARE @FilterType nvarchar(255) = 'None' --The filter type, as defined on the client side (None/Contain/NotContain/Match/NotMatch/True/False/)
DECLARE @FilterValue nvarchar(255) = '' --The value the user gave for the filter
DECLARE @FilterColumn int = 1 --The column to wich the filter is applied, represents the column number like when we send the information.

;WITH
  Data_CTE
  AS
  (  
    SELECT 
      ROW_NUMBER() 
        OVER( ORDER BY 
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.ID END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.ID END DESC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.Name END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.Name END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
                      THEN VLT.Tel END ASC,
                CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
                      THEN VLT.Tel END ASC
         ) AS RowNum
      ,*  
    FROM VLT
    WHERE
      ( -- We apply the filter logic here
        CASE
          WHEN @FilterType = 'None' THEN 1

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID <> @FilterValue THEN 1               

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name <> @FilterValue THEN 1         

         -- Tel column filter   
         WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel <> @FilterValue THEN 1    

        END
      ) = 1     
  )

SELECT 
  Data.ID,
  Data.Name,
  Data.Tel
FROM Data_CTE AS Data
WHERE Data.RowNum > @PageSize * (@PageNumber - 1)
  AND Data.RowNum <= @PageSize * @PageNumber
ORDER BY Data.RowNum

-- SQL Server 2012+

DECLARE @PageNumber Int = 1200
DECLARE @PageSize INT = 200
DECLARE @SortByField int = 1 --The field used for sort by
DECLARE @SortOrder nvarchar(255) = 'ASC' --ASC or DESC
DECLARE @FilterType nvarchar(255) = 'None' --The filter type, as defined on the client side (None/Contain/NotContain/Match/NotMatch/True/False/)
DECLARE @FilterValue nvarchar(255) = '' --The value the user gave for the filter
DECLARE @FilterColumn int = 1 --The column to wich the filter is applied, represents the column number like when we send the information.

;WITH
  Data_CTE
  AS
  (  
    SELECT 
      *  
    FROM VLT
    WHERE
      ( -- We apply the filter logic here
        CASE
          WHEN @FilterType = 'None' THEN 1

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.ID NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 1
            AND VLT.ID <> @FilterValue THEN 1               

          -- Name column filter
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Name NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 2
            AND VLT.Name <> @FilterValue THEN 1         

         -- Tel column filter   
         WHEN @FilterType = 'Contain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotContain' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND ( -- In this case, when the filter value is empty, we want to show everything.
                VLT.Tel NOT LIKE '%' + @FilterValue + '%'
               OR
                @FilterValue = ''
               ) THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'Match' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel = @FilterValue THEN 1
          WHEN @FilterType = 'NotMatch' AND @FilterColumn = 3
            AND VLT.Tel <> @FilterValue THEN 1    

        END
      ) = 1         
  )

SELECT 
  Data.ID,
  Data.Name,
  Data.Tel
FROM Data_CTE AS Data
ORDER BY 
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
        THEN Data.ID END ASC,
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 1 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
        THEN Data.ID END DESC,
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
        THEN Data.Name END ASC,
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 2 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
        THEN Data.Name END ASC,
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'ASC'
        THEN Data.Tel END ASC,
    CASE WHEN @SortByField = 3 AND @SortOrder = 'DESC'
        THEN Data.Tel END ASC
OFFSET @PageSize * (@PageNumber - 1) ROWS FETCH NEXT @PageSize ROWS ONLY;