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JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)

Comparison of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded vs DataNucleus with Derby server

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
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	32.6	2.8	13.1	2.3	22.9	2.6
Element Collection Test	15.1	0.71	8.2	0.35	11.7	0.53
Inheritance Test	25.5	2.7	13.6	2.0	19.5	2.3
Indexing Test	29.6	4.5	18.8	4.0	24.2	4.3
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	13.8	0.62	15.6	0.53	14.7	0.57
Multithreading Test	37.4	4.9	13.0	3.4	25.2	4.1
All Tests	25.6	2.7	13.7	2.1	19.7	2.4

The results above show that in general Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby server in persisting JPA entity objects to the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (2.4) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (19.7) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 8.2 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using graphs of objects with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (0.53) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (15.6) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 29.4 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	24.8	0.56	16.4	6.3	20.6	3.4
Element Collection Test	11.3	0.36	10.8	0.93	11.0	0.64
Inheritance Test	21.7	0.45	21.0	6.8	21.3	3.6
Indexing Test	11.9	0.50	21.5	7.1	16.7	3.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	3.6	0.22	4.7	6.6	4.1	3.4
Multithreading Test	19.8	1.2	21.5	10.0	20.6	5.6
All Tests	15.5	0.55	16.0	6.3	15.7	3.4

The results above show that in general Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby server in retrieving JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (3.4) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (15.7) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 4.6 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using class inheritance in the object model with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (0.45) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (21.7) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 48.2 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	3.6	37.7	0.88	3.6	2.2	20.7
Element Collection Test	3.4	25.9	1.7	1.4	2.6	13.6
Inheritance Test	2.9	6.5	1.0	1.8	1.9	4.2
Indexing Test	9.9	0.030	21.7	4.9	15.8	2.5
Multithreading Test	1.1	failed	0.58	failed	0.82	failed
All Tests	4.2	17.5	5.2	2.9	4.7	10.2

DataNucleus with Derby server has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with Derby server is more efficient than Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded in executing the tested JPA queries. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (4.7) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (10.2) reveals that in these tests, DataNucleus with Derby server is 2.2 times faster than Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (3.6) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (37.7) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby server is 10.5 times faster than Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded.

On the other hand, DataNucleus with Derby server is slower, for instance, when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (0.030) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (9.9) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby server is 330 times slower than Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	14.2	1.1	5.0	0.85	9.6	0.99
Element Collection Test	10.1	0.81	5.6	0.62	7.8	0.71
Inheritance Test	13.4	1.2	7.5	1.3	10.5	1.2
Indexing Test	10.7	1.2	6.1	1.5	8.4	1.3
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	3.7	0.29	2.5	0.41	3.1	0.35
Multithreading Test	23.9	failed	3.8	failed	13.9	failed
All Tests	12.7	0.93	5.1	0.92	8.9	0.92

DataNucleus with Derby server has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby server in updating JPA entity objects in the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (0.92) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (8.9) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 9.7 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (1.1) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (14.2) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 12.9 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	26.1	1.3	17.5	1.3	21.8	1.3
Element Collection Test	9.1	0.61	5.2	0.33	7.1	0.47
Inheritance Test	21.4	1.0	17.7	1.3	19.6	1.2
Indexing Test	33.0	2.3	16.3	1.9	24.7	2.1
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	5.4	0.26	8.2	0.46	6.8	0.36
Multithreading Test	38.5	failed	28.6	failed	33.5	failed
All Tests	22.3	1.1	15.6	1.1	18.9	1.1

DataNucleus with Derby server has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby server in deleting JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (1.1) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (18.9) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 17.2 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using class inheritance in the object model with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (1.0) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (21.4) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 21.4 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

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

Transaction/Retrieval Size	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server	Hibernate HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus Derby server
Basic Person Test	20.2	8.7	10.6	2.9	15.4	5.8
Element Collection Test	9.8	5.7	6.3	0.72	8.0	3.2
Inheritance Test	17.0	2.4	12.2	2.6	14.6	2.5
Indexing Test	19.0	1.7	16.9	3.9	18.0	2.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	6.6	0.35	7.8	2.0	7.2	1.2
Multithreading Test	24.1	3.0	13.5	6.7	18.8	4.9
All Tests	16.5	3.8	11.3	2.8	13.9	3.3

The results above show that in general Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby server in performing JPA database operations. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (3.3) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (13.9) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 4.2 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using graphs of objects with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby database server (0.35) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded database (6.6) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with HSQLDB embedded is 18.9 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby server.

Other Head to Head DBMS/JPA Comparisons

JPA Performance Benchmark - Copyright © 2010, 2011, 2012 ObjectDB Software Ltd. - All rights reserved.
The benchmark program is released as open source under the GPL license.