Paginate Through APIs Without Native n8n Nodes

When an API has no dedicated n8n node, a single Code node can run the whole pagination loop. It calls the endpoint repeatedly -- following a cursor or incrementing an offset -- collects every page into one array, and returns all records as items. A page cap prevents infinite loops, and a short delay between requests respects rate limits.

When do you need a Code node for pagination?

Many APIs that lack dedicated n8n nodes use cursor-based or offset-based pagination. A Code node can handle the entire pagination loop, returning all pages as a single batch of items.

Real-world example: Fetching all records from a custom REST API that returns 100 items per page with a nextCursor field.

How do you loop through cursor-based pagination in a Code node?

// Mode: Run Once for All Items
const baseUrl = 'https://api.example.com/v1/records';
const apiKey = $input.first().json.apiKey; // Or use credential expressions
const allRecords = [];
let cursor = null;
let page = 0;
const maxPages = 50; // Safety limit to prevent infinite loops

do {
  const url = cursor
    ? `${baseUrl}?limit=100&cursor=${encodeURIComponent(cursor)}`
    : `${baseUrl}?limit=100`;

  const response = await this.helpers.httpRequest({
    method: 'GET',
    url,
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
  });

  if (response.data && Array.isArray(response.data)) {
    allRecords.push(...response.data);
  }

  cursor = response.pagination?.nextCursor ?? null;
  page++;

  // Respect rate limits
  if (cursor) {
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 200));
  }
} while (cursor && page < maxPages);

return allRecords.map(record => ({ json: record }));

Why use this.helpers.httpRequest inside Code nodes?

Tip: Use this.helpers.httpRequest. Inside Code nodes, this.helpers.httpRequest is the preferred way to make HTTP calls. It respects n8n's proxy settings and has built-in retry logic. Avoid fetch() or axios unless you have a specific reason.

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