First page has prev link in pagination

[SilviaBao]

Hi,

First page shouldn't return prev in the link header. This is how I replicate it.

E.g. 
1. Get networks, 1st page, return expected results

https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3
receive this link header

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=L_0>; rel=first,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=N_60...>; rel=next,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=N_a&perPage=3>; rel=last​

2. Get 2nd page, return expected result  

https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=N_60...

receive this link header

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=L_0>; rel=first,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=N_6017935002075...>; rel=prev,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=N_a&perPage=3>; rel=last​

3. Go back to previous page, 1st page, return same results as the first request but in descending order

https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=N_6017935002075...

and there's a prev in the link header, which I believe it shouldn't be there

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=L_0>; rel=first,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=L_6017935002074...>; rel=prev,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?perPage=3&startingAfter=N_60...>; rel=next,

<https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=N_a&perPage=3>; rel=last

4. as I receive the prev in the link, send that request 

https://n69.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/601793500207405326/networks?endingBefore=L_6017935002074...
it returns empty result

[sungod]

I'd say the effect you are seeing is due to the API being stateless - all it sees is the parameters in your latest call, there's no 'memory' of the previous call - i.e. at step 3 the API does not 'know' it is what you call page 1, it is simply a page.

So if you want to follow 'prev' links for this call, I would check for empty response and stop there.

Pagination details do vary a bit depending on the API call involved, I've learned that different calls may need different handling to detect when to stop in order to prevent long/endless loops.

[SilviaBao]

Thanks for your answer. I believe it was not working in the way it's now. When I started to play around their pagination, getting the first page not giving me the 'prev' link.

I have tested the other endpoint 'vpn/statues', request for the 'prev' from the first page is returning a full list of all the statues no matter what is the number 'perPage' is set, instead of returning an empty result. I believe it is a bug.