200-901 Understanding and Using APIs Practice Question
A developer is building a Python script that calls the Cisco Webex API. The API returns JSON with a top-level key "items" containing a list of records, and a "link" object with a "next" URL when more records exist. The developer needs to iterate through all pages until every record is retrieved. Which approach correctly handles this pagination style?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming every paginated API uses a numeric page or offset query parameter, when this collection instead supplies an explicit next-page URL in the response body.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Parse the top-level "items" array, then check the "link" object for a "next" URL and request that URL until no "next" key is present.
The Webex API paginates by returning an "items" array plus a "link" object whose "next" field holds the URL of the following page. A correct client parses each page, then follows the "next" URL until that field disappears, indicating the last page. This link-driven approach avoids guessing page sizes or totals and adapts if the server changes page boundaries.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Read the "X-Total-Count" response header and loop exactly that many times using an offset parameter.
Why it's wrong here
This scenario does not mention an "X-Total-Count" header or an offset parameter. The API supplies a "link" object with a "next" URL instead. Relying on a header that is not returned would cause the script to fail or loop incorrectly, and offset-based paging is not how this particular collection is navigated.
- ✗
Request the same endpoint repeatedly and deduplicate results until the returned item count stabilizes.
Why it's wrong here
Repeatedly requesting the same endpoint without following the provided "next" URL will return the same first page every time. Deduplication would never surface records beyond the first page, so the script would miss data. Pagination requires following the server-provided next link rather than re-requesting the original URL.
- ✗
Increment a "page" query parameter starting at 1 and stop when the response body is empty.
Why it's wrong here
The Webex API described here does not use a numeric "page" query parameter for this collection; it uses a "link" object with a "next" URL. Stopping when the body is empty is also unreliable because a valid response may contain zero items but still include metadata, causing premature termination or infinite looping.
- ✓
Parse the top-level "items" array, then check the "link" object for a "next" URL and request that URL until no "next" key is present.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the Webex API returns records in an "items" array and provides the next page location inside a "link" object with a "next" field. The script must follow that URL iteratively, stopping when the "link" object no longer contains a "next" key, which signals the final page has been reached.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-901 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-901 exam.