diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6568294..7283f0b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+# Python
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+*.pyo
+.Python
+*.egg-info/
+.eggs/
+
 # Binaries
 /bin/
 *.exe
diff --git a/backend/app/routes.py b/backend/app/routes.py
index f151343..dc65ccd 100644
--- a/backend/app/routes.py
+++ b/backend/app/routes.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException, UploadFile, File, Form, Request
+from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException, UploadFile, File, Form, Request, Query
 from fastapi.responses import StreamingResponse
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
-from sqlalchemy import or_
+from sqlalchemy import or_, func
 from typing import List, Optional
+import math
 import re
 
 from .database import get_db
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ from .schemas import (
     UploadResponse,
     ConsumerResponse,
     HealthResponse,
+    PaginatedResponse, PaginationMeta,
 )
 
 router = APIRouter()
@@ -39,13 +41,44 @@ def health_check():
 
 
 # Project routes
-@router.get("/api/v1/projects", response_model=List[ProjectResponse])
-def list_projects(request: Request, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
+@router.get("/api/v1/projects", response_model=PaginatedResponse[ProjectResponse])
+def list_projects(
+    request: Request,
+    page: int = Query(default=1, ge=1, description="Page number"),
+    limit: int = Query(default=20, ge=1, le=100, description="Items per page"),
+    search: Optional[str] = Query(default=None, description="Search by project name"),
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+):
     user_id = get_user_id(request)
-    projects = db.query(Project).filter(
+
+    # Base query - filter by access
+    query = db.query(Project).filter(
         or_(Project.is_public == True, Project.created_by == user_id)
-    ).order_by(Project.name).all()
-    return projects
+    )
+
+    # Apply search filter (case-insensitive)
+    if search:
+        query = query.filter(func.lower(Project.name).contains(search.lower()))
+
+    # Get total count before pagination
+    total = query.count()
+
+    # Apply pagination
+    offset = (page - 1) * limit
+    projects = query.order_by(Project.name).offset(offset).limit(limit).all()
+
+    # Calculate total pages
+    total_pages = math.ceil(total / limit) if total > 0 else 1
+
+    return PaginatedResponse(
+        items=projects,
+        pagination=PaginationMeta(
+            page=page,
+            limit=limit,
+            total=total,
+            total_pages=total_pages,
+        ),
+    )
 
 
 @router.post("/api/v1/projects", response_model=ProjectResponse)
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas.py b/backend/app/schemas.py
index dc3ea14..a668966 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas.py
@@ -1,8 +1,23 @@
 from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Optional, List
+from typing import Optional, List, Generic, TypeVar
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 from uuid import UUID
 
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
+
+# Pagination schemas
+class PaginationMeta(BaseModel):
+    page: int
+    limit: int
+    total: int
+    total_pages: int
+
+
+class PaginatedResponse(BaseModel, Generic[T]):
+    items: List[T]
+    pagination: PaginationMeta
+
 
 # Project schemas
 class ProjectCreate(BaseModel):