What is the best possible way to build strong internal linking with pagination?

Linking to several sequential pages on each page with pagination (e.g., displaying links for pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 'next') is the most effective method for internal linking. This approach distributes link equity across multiple pages, making them more discoverable by search engines and improving user navigation. Using rel="prev" and rel="next" is primarily a hint for search engines to understand the relationship between paginated pages, but Google generally deprecates its use for indexing purposes and prefers clear internal linking. A sitemap page linking to all pagination URLs is good for discoverability but doesn't pass as much link equity as direct links within the pagination itself. 'First' and 'last' buttons are useful for user experience but don't offer the same granular link equity distribution as linking to several sequential pages.