The real power of Hugo pagination shines when combined with the [`where` function][where] and its SQL-like operators: [`first`], [`last`], and [`after`]. You can even [order the content][lists] the way you've become used to with Hugo.
Setting `paginate` to a positive value will split the list pages for the homepage, sections and taxonomies into chunks of that size. But note that the generation of the pagination pages for sections, taxonomies and homepage is *lazy* --- the pages will not be created if not referenced by a `.Paginator` (see below).
`.Paginator` is provided to help you build a pager menu. This feature is currently only supported on homepage and list pages (i.e., taxonomies and section lists).
{{% /warning %}}
There are two ways to configure and use a `.Paginator`:
1. The simplest way is just to call `.Paginator.Pages` from a template. It will contain the pages for *that page*.
If you call `.Paginator` or `.Paginate` multiple times on the same page, you should ensure all the calls are identical. Once *either*`.Paginator` or `.Paginate` is called while generating a page, its result is cached, and any subsequent similar call will reuse the cached result. This means that any such calls which do not match the first one will not behave as written.
(Remember that function arguments are eagerly evaluated, so a call like `$paginator := cond x .Paginator (.Paginate .RegularPagesRecursive)` is an example of what you should *not* do. Use `if`/`else` instead to ensure exactly one evaluation.)
The global page size setting (`Paginate`) can be overridden by providing a positive integer as the last argument. The examples below will give five items per page:
If you use any filters or ordering functions to create your `.Paginator`*and* you want the navigation buttons to be shown before the page listing, you must create the `.Paginator` before it's used.
{{% /note %}}
The following example shows how to create `.Paginator` before its used:
