Custom Wordpress Loop With Pagination

gistfile1.txt

<?php
/*
Template Name: Test Template Page
*/
?>
<?php get_header(); ?>
<!-- begin content -->
<div id="content">
  <!-- begin container -->
  <div class="container">
    <!-- begin main  -->
    <div id="main" class="main-content-full">
      <?php
      // set up or arguments for our custom query
      $paged = ( get_query_var('paged') ) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
      $query_args = array(
      'post_type' => 'post',
      'category_name' => 'tutorials',
      'posts_per_page' => 2,
      'paged' => $paged
      );
      // create a new instance of WP_Query
      $the_query = new WP_Query( $query_args );
      ?>
      <?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); // run the loop ?>
      <article>
        <h1><?php echo the_title(); ?></h1>
        <div class="excerpt">
          <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
        </div>
      </article>
      <?php endwhile; ?>
      <?php if ($the_query->max_num_pages > 1) { // check if the max number of pages is greater than 1  ?>
      <nav class="prev-next-posts">
        <div class="prev-posts-link">
          <?php echo get_next_posts_link( 'Older Entries', $the_query->max_num_pages ); // display older posts link ?>
        </div>
        <div class="next-posts-link">
          <?php echo get_previous_posts_link( 'Newer Entries' ); // display newer posts link ?>
        </div>
      </nav>
      <?php } ?>
      <?php else: ?>
      <article>
        <h1>Sorry...</h1>
        <p><?php _e('Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.'); ?></p>
      </article>
      <?php endif; ?>
      </div> <!-- end #main -->
    </div>
    <!-- end container -->
    
  </div> <!-- end #content -->
<?php get_footer(); ?>