Comparison of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded vs DataNucleus with Derby embedded

Each of the following tables focuses on a specific database operation, where the last table presents average results comparison.

Speed comparison of JPA database persistence operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	0.074	4.6	0.90	2.8	0.49	3.7
Element Collection Test	0.061	2.4	0.65	1.6	0.36	2.0
Inheritance Test	0.083	4.6	0.82	2.7	0.45	3.7
Indexing Test	0.11	7.6	1.6	4.8	0.87	6.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.24	1.6	0.91	1.4	0.57	1.5
Multithreading Test	0.10	8.6	2.1	3.3	1.1	5.9
All Tests	0.11	4.9	1.2	2.8	0.64	3.8

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with Derby embedded is much more efficient than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded in persisting JPA entity objects to the database. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded database (0.64) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (3.8) reveals that in these tests, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 5.9 times faster than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using multithreading with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded database (0.10) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (8.6) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 86.0 times faster than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded.

Speed comparison of JPA database retrieval operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	failed	6.8	failed	14.9	failed	10.9
Element Collection Test	0.0007	5.4	failed	7.6	0.0007	6.5
Inheritance Test	failed	8.8	failed	14.8	failed	11.8
Indexing Test	failed	9.2	failed	14.1	failed	11.6
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	failed	9.9	failed	15.8	failed	12.9
Multithreading Test	failed	11.9	failed	11.5	failed	11.7
All Tests	0.0007	8.7	failed	13.1	0.0007	10.9

EclipseLink with SQLite embedded has failed in 11 tests (see exceptions).

Speed comparison of JPA database query operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	1.2	39.1	failed	7.5	1.2	23.3
Element Collection Test	0.29	46.0	failed	6.7	0.29	26.3
Inheritance Test	0.69	7.7	failed	3.8	0.69	5.7
Indexing Test	0.0008	0.053	failed	8.0	0.0008	4.0
Multithreading Test	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed
All Tests	0.55	23.2	failed	6.5	0.55	14.8

EclipseLink with SQLite embedded has failed in 6 tests (see exceptions). DataNucleus with Derby embedded has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

Speed comparison of JPA database update operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	failed	4.0	failed	3.8	failed	3.9
Element Collection Test	0.0016	3.7	failed	4.5	0.0016	4.1
Inheritance Test	failed	4.4	failed	4.8	failed	4.6
Indexing Test	failed	5.2	failed	4.2	failed	4.7
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	failed	2.7	failed	1.5	failed	2.1
Multithreading Test	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed
All Tests	0.0016	4.0	failed	3.7	0.0016	3.9

EclipseLink with SQLite embedded has failed in 11 tests (see exceptions). DataNucleus with Derby embedded has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

Speed comparison of JPA database removal operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	failed	3.5	failed	1.3	failed	2.4
Element Collection Test	0.0006	1.9	failed	1.6	0.0006	1.7
Inheritance Test	failed	2.4	failed	1.3	failed	1.9
Indexing Test	failed	6.6	failed	1.9	failed	4.3
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	failed	0.81	failed	0.93	failed	0.87
Multithreading Test	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed
All Tests	0.0006	3.0	failed	1.4	0.0006	2.2

EclipseLink with SQLite embedded has failed in 11 tests (see exceptions). DataNucleus with Derby embedded has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

Comparison of database storage efficiency (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	79.4	53.3	79.4	53.3	79.4	53.3
Element Collection Test	74.5	42.6	74.5	42.6	74.5	42.6
Inheritance Test	75.0	48.1	75.0	48.1	75.0	48.1
Indexing Test	92.9	62.3	94.5	63.3	93.7	62.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	60.6	13.6	48.4	10.2	54.5	11.9
Multithreading Test	100	52.0	100	8.0	100	30.0
All Tests	80.4	45.3	78.6	37.6	79.5	41.5

The results above show that in general EclipseLink with SQLite embedded is more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby embedded in using disk space.

A huge gap has been detected when using multithreading with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized score of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (8.0) to the normalized score of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded database (100) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with SQLite embedded is 12.5 times more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby embedded.

Comparison of JPA/Database speed - the averages (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction/Retrieval Size	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded	EclipseLink SQLite embedded	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	0.66	11.6	0.90	6.1	0.74	8.8
Element Collection Test	0.070	11.9	0.65	4.4	0.17	8.1
Inheritance Test	0.38	5.6	0.82	5.5	0.53	5.5
Indexing Test	0.058	5.7	1.6	6.6	0.58	6.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.24	3.7	0.91	4.9	0.57	4.3
Multithreading Test	0.10	10.3	2.1	7.4	1.1	8.8
All Tests	0.22	8.0	1.2	5.7	0.52	6.9

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with Derby embedded is much more efficient than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded in performing JPA database operations. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded database (0.52) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (6.9) reveals that in these tests, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 13.3 times faster than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with SQLite embedded database (0.070) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (11.9) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 170 times faster than EclipseLink with SQLite embedded.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)