Query class pagination limit behavior change in Appwrite v0.13

Answer

In Appwrite server v0.13 the server-side validation for query limits is stricter than in the 0.12.x era. With SDK 0.12.x clients the Query class would effectively cap a limit that exceeds the server-enforced maximum, resulting in a truncated result set. With SDK 0.13.x against a v0.13 server, a limit above the configured maximum is rejected by validation before the query executes, so the API returns a validation error response and no documents are returned. No total count is included in that error path because execution is aborted prior to counting.

Confirmed facts

• The server enforces a maximum results per page per project to avoid resource exhaustion. The value is configurable in self-hosted deployments and is set by default in Appwrite Cloud.
• Query.limit() controls the size of the result set requested by the client. The server is the authority for the final cap.
• Behavior differs between Appwrite Cloud and self-hosted instances because the default maximum and the ability to change it differ.

Likely explanation, needs verification

The change is server-driven around v0.13. The SDK 0.13.x no longer silently caps the value client-side; it passes the value to the server which validates it. The earlier 0.12.x SDK behavior of automatic capping is therefore no longer reliable after upgrading the server. This is the likely reason for the observed break in pagination when upgrading SDK versions.

Steps needed for this case

1. Confirm server version and deployment type. Check the Appwrite console for the project setting "Maximum Results Per Page" and the server version in the dashboard or logs.
2. Test the current limit. Issue a query with a limit well above the expected maximum using the same SDK and server you are migrating. Observe whether you receive a validation error or a truncated set.
3. Update error handling. Catch validation errors from the documents list endpoint and treat them as limit violations, not as generic failures.
4. Clamp limits client-side. Read the server maximum and ensure Query.limit() never exceeds it. Prefer cursor-based pagination for large collections.
5. Align SDK and server. SDK 0.13.x expects v0.13 server validation semantics. Mismatched pairs can produce inconsistent capping vs error behavior.

Missing diagnostic detail that changes the recommendation: which SDK language and exact server version are you running? The error shape and the recommended retry pattern differ slightly between languages and between Cloud vs self-hosted v0.13.x builds.