# Ordering & Pagination with the Query Engine API

> Source: https://docs.strapi.io/cms/api/query-engine/order-pagination

The Query Engine API supports ordering results with the `orderBy` parameter on single or multiple attributes, including relational ordering, and pagination with `offset` and `limit` parameters.

:::caution
In most cases you should not use the Query Engine API and rather use the [Document Service API](/cms/api/document-service).

Only use the Query Engine API if you exactly know what you are doing, for instance if you want to use a lower-level API that directly interacts with unique rows of the database.

Please keep in mind that the Query Engine API is not aware of the most advanced Strapi 5 features like Draft & Publish, Internationalization, Content History, and possibly more.
This also means that the Query Engine API will not be able to use `documentId` and will use `id`, which means it could lead to unattended consequences at the database level or partial or incomplete compatibility with Strapi 5 features. 
:::

:::prerequisites
Before diving deeper into the Query Engine API documentation, it is recommended that you read the following introductions:
- the [backend customization introduction](/cms/backend-customization),
- and the [Content APIs introduction](/cms/api/content-api).
:::

The [Query Engine API](/cms/api/query-engine) offers the ability to [order](#ordering) and [paginate](#pagination) results.

## Ordering

To order results returned by the Query Engine, use the `orderBy` parameter. Results can be ordered based on a [single](#single) or on [multiple](#multiple) attributes and can also use [relational ordering](#relational-ordering).

### Single

```js
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  orderBy: 'id',
});

// single with direction
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  orderBy: { id: 'asc' },
});
```

### Multiple

```js
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  orderBy: ['id', 'name'],
});

// multiple with direction
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  orderBy: [{ title: 'asc' }, { publishedAt: 'desc' }],
});
```

### Relational ordering

```js
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  orderBy: {
    author: {
      name: 'asc',
    },
  },
});
```

## Pagination

To paginate results returned by the Query Engine API, use the `offset` and `limit` parameters:

```js
strapi.db.query('api::article.article').findMany({
  offset: 15, 
  limit: 10,
});
```