# How do you limit and sort a Xano-backed list in Adalo?

Move list limits, pagination, and sorting into the Xano endpoint when Adalo does not show its standard Max Items or Sort controls.

- Canonical URL: https://adalocado.com/answers/limit-and-sort-xano-list
- Verification: Documented from current sources
- Topic: APIs and Integrations
- Skill level: Advanced
- Last reviewed: 2026-08-14
- Index status: index-now

## Short answer

Set limiting and sorting on the Xano GET All endpoint instead of looking for Adalo’s standard Max Items and Sort controls. Add lowercase limit and offset inputs for pagination, apply an explicit sort in Xano, publish the endpoint, and confirm the returned count and order in Adalo.

Treat the external endpoint as the source of truth for result size and order. Configure Xano’s GET All endpoint to return a bounded, deterministically sorted array, publish the endpoint, and verify its response against the Adalo list rather than assuming native-collection controls are available.

## Intended outcome

A Xano-backed list returns a deliberate number of records in a stable order without relying on controls that are unavailable for that external collection.

## Requirements

- A Xano-backed External Collection connected to the list
- Access to the collection’s GET All endpoint in Xano
- Representative records with a field that can be sorted deterministically

## Step by step

1. **Confirm the external data source**

   Verify that the list uses a Xano or other External Collection; native Adalo collections expose a different set of list controls.

2. **Add pagination inputs in Xano**

   Open the table’s GET All endpoint and add lowercase integer inputs named limit and offset. These names are case-sensitive in the documented Adalo integration.

3. **Configure the endpoint response**

   Enable paging on the Xano query, map Per Page to limit and Offset to offset, and leave paging metadata off so Adalo can load the returned array correctly.

4. **Apply a deterministic sort**

   Set the desired sort inside the Xano query or expose the exact query parameter your endpoint expects. Include a tie-breaker such as record ID when the primary sort field can repeat.

5. **Publish and retest**

   Publish the Xano endpoint, retest or reconnect the External Collection in Adalo if its inputs changed, then preview the list and compare its count and order with the endpoint response.

## Why it works

- Adalo renders the records returned by an External Collection endpoint, so the provider’s GET All behavior is the reliable place to bound and order the result when native list controls are absent.
- Explicit limit, offset, and sort behavior makes pagination repeatable; an unspecified order can move records between pages or change which item appears first.

## Data model

| Collection | Properties | Relationships |
| --- | --- | --- |
| External Xano records | A stable ID plus the field or fields used for sorting | Defined by the Xano schema and exposed through the External Collection response |

## Common failures

### The list does not load after pagination is enabled

Confirm the Xano inputs are exactly lowercase limit and offset, paging metadata is off, the response remains an array, and the endpoint changes were published.

### The first items change between loads

Add a deterministic secondary sort, such as record ID, and verify the endpoint applies the same order before limit and offset are calculated.

## Testing checklist

- [ ] Request a small limit and confirm Adalo shows exactly that many initial records in the same order as the Xano endpoint response.
- [ ] Load the next page with duplicate primary sort values and confirm no record is skipped or repeated because a stable tie-breaker is applied.
- [ ] The list is connected to the intended External Collection
- [ ] The GET All endpoint accepts limit and offset
- [ ] Paging metadata is disabled
- [ ] The endpoint uses an explicit stable sort
- [ ] The published response count and Adalo list order match

## Limitations

- Current Adalo documentation defines Xano’s limit and offset pagination setup, but the exact sort field or query-parameter names depend on the Xano endpoint you build.
- Adalocado has not reproduced this workflow in a current project, so test the published endpoint and Adalo list together before relying on it in production.

## Community evidence

### [Don’t see Max Items in Simple List](https://forum.adalo.com/t/dont-see-max-items-in-simple-list/66279/2)

The accepted reply identifies the list as an external Xano collection and directs limiting and sorting to provider-specific query parameters rather than missing native list controls. Boundary: The reply does not name a universal Xano sorting parameter, because that contract depends on the endpoint.

## Sources

- [Adalo forum accepted solution](https://forum.adalo.com/t/dont-see-max-items-in-simple-list/66279/2)
- [Adalo Help: Lists and Pagination](https://help.adalo.com/integrations/xano-integration/lists-and-pagination)
- [Adalo Help: Using Custom Endpoints in Adalo](https://help.adalo.com/integrations/xano-integration/using-custom-endpoints-in-adalo)

Markdown version: https://adalocado.com/answers/limit-and-sort-xano-list.md