Comparison of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded vs EclipseLink with PostgreSQL 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
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	13.3	7.3	6.9	4.2	10.1	5.8
Element Collection Test	8.6	3.1	5.3	1.9	7.0	2.5
Inheritance Test	12.2	6.9	5.8	5.0	9.0	5.9
Indexing Test	16.7	10.0	9.1	6.8	12.9	8.4
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	6.1	3.5	7.3	3.3	6.7	3.4
Multithreading Test	26.8	31.8	7.0	14.5	16.9	23.1
All Tests	13.9	10.4	6.9	6.0	10.4	8.2

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slightly more efficient than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server in persisting JPA entity objects to the database.

A large performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (1.9) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (5.3) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.8 times faster than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, when using multithreading with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (7.0) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (14.5) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.1 times slower than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	21.8	6.8	30.1	17.2	25.9	12.0
Element Collection Test	0.0068	0.026	4.5	0.020	2.2	0.023
Inheritance Test	0.0025	6.0	2.0	19.7	0.98	12.9
Indexing Test	22.1	5.6	43.6	19.5	32.9	12.6
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.1	0.47	2.1	0.61	2.1	0.54
Multithreading Test	20.9	13.5	23.5	27.8	22.2	20.6
All Tests	11.1	5.4	17.6	14.1	14.4	9.8

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is more efficient than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server in retrieving JPA entity objects from the database.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with large retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (0.020) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (4.5) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 225 times faster than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, when using class inheritance in the object model with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (0.0025) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (6.0) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2,400 times slower than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	2.8	55.5	0.91	7.8	1.9	31.6
Element Collection Test	1.4	15.4	0.95	0.028	1.2	7.7
Inheritance Test	2.4	54.9	1.3	11.5	1.8	33.2
Indexing Test	15.4	0.077	34.3	10.0	24.9	5.1
Multithreading Test	1.4	55.3	0.53	12.0	0.95	33.7
All Tests	4.7	36.2	7.6	8.3	6.1	22.3

The results above show that in general EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is much more efficient than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded in executing the tested JPA queries. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (6.1) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (22.3) reveals that in these tests, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 3.7 times faster than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using multithreading with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (1.4) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (55.3) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 39.5 times faster than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

On the other hand, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (0.077) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (15.4) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 200 times slower than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	12.0	6.2	5.3	4.1	8.6	5.1
Element Collection Test	0.017	0.080	3.7	0.028	1.8	0.054
Inheritance Test	0.0098	6.4	2.0	6.1	0.99	6.2
Indexing Test	9.3	6.5	5.5	7.0	7.4	6.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.5	0.90	1.6	0.50	2.1	0.70
Multithreading Test	20.0	36.0	3.7	9.1	11.8	22.5
All Tests	7.3	9.3	3.6	4.5	5.5	6.9

The results above show that in general EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is slightly more efficient than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded in updating JPA entity objects in the database.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using class inheritance in the object model with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (0.0098) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (6.4) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 653 times faster than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

On the other hand, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (0.028) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (3.7) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 132 times slower than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	21.3	5.7	15.7	5.7	18.5	5.7
Element Collection Test	0.011	0.025	2.9	stopped	1.5	0.012
Inheritance Test	0.0070	5.5	3.5	5.4	1.8	5.4
Indexing Test	28.8	10.4	15.2	10.0	22.0	10.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.9	0.016	3.6	0.013	3.2	0.015
Multithreading Test	26.0	26.3	19.6	16.8	22.8	21.6
All Tests	13.2	8.0	10.1	6.3	11.6	7.2

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is more efficient than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server in deleting JPA entity objects from the database.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using graphs of objects with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (0.013) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (3.6) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 277 times faster than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, when using class inheritance in the object model with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (0.0070) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (5.5) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 786 times slower than EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server.

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

Transaction/Retrieval Size	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	EclipseLink PostgreSQL server
Basic Person Test	14.3	16.3	11.8	7.8	13.0	12.1
Element Collection Test	2.0	3.7	3.5	0.40	2.7	2.1
Inheritance Test	2.9	15.9	2.9	9.5	2.9	12.7
Indexing Test	18.5	6.5	21.6	10.7	20.0	8.6
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	3.4	1.2	3.7	1.1	3.5	1.2
Multithreading Test	19.0	32.6	10.9	16.0	14.9	24.3
All Tests	10.2	13.1	9.2	7.8	9.7	10.5

The results above show that in general EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is slightly more efficient than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded in performing JPA database operations.

A large performance gap has been detected when using class inheritance in the object model with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (2.9) to the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (15.9) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 5.5 times faster than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

On the other hand, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with large transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of EclipseLink with PostgreSQL database server (0.40) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (3.5) reveals that in that case, EclipseLink with PostgreSQL server is 8.8 times slower than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)