How @PageableDefault Simplifies SpringBoot Pagination

Problem with manual pagination

In Spring Boot, creating Pageable objects manually for each query leads to repetitive code and maintenance difficulty, especially when query conditions become complex.

public Page<User> getUserPage(Pageable pageable) {
    PageRequest pageRequest = PageRequest.of(pageable.getPageNumber(), pageable.getSize());
    return userRepository.findAll(pageRequest);
}

Using @PageableDefault

Annotate a controller method parameter of type Pageable with @PageableDefault. Spring injects a Pageable instance populated with the default values defined in the annotation, eliminating the need to construct PageRequest manually.

@GetMapping("/users")
public Page<User> getUsers(@PageableDefault(page = 0, size = 10, sort = "username,asc") Pageable pageable) {
    return userRepository.findAll(pageable);
}

Advanced configuration

Different endpoints can specify their own default page size, sort field, and direction.

@GetMapping("/products")
public Page<Product> getProducts(@PageableDefault(size = 5, sort = "price,desc") Pageable pageable) {
    return productRepository.findAll(pageable);
}

Benefits

Simplifies pagination logic : default Pageable is provided automatically.

Reduces boilerplate : no explicit PageRequest construction.

Improves readability : pagination defaults appear next to the method signature.

Flexible control : per‑endpoint customization of page number, size, and sorting.

Real‑world usage

In an e‑commerce project, replacing manual pagination code with @PageableDefault made controller methods concise and easier to maintain.

@GetMapping("/products")
public Page<Product> getProducts(@PageableDefault(size = 20, sort = "name,asc") Pageable pageable) {
    return productRepository.findAll(pageable);
}

Conclusion

The @PageableDefault annotation is a practical Spring Boot tool that streamlines pagination implementation, cuts down repetitive code, and boosts developer productivity.