Comparison of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded vs Hibernate 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
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	13.3	3.8	6.9	3.0	10.1	3.4
Element Collection Test	8.6	2.0	5.3	1.3	7.0	1.7
Inheritance Test	12.2	3.4	5.8	3.0	9.0	3.2
Indexing Test	16.7	4.8	9.1	4.1	12.9	4.4
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	6.1	1.8	7.3	1.6	6.7	1.7
Multithreading Test	26.8	6.9	7.0	3.9	16.9	5.4
All Tests	13.9	3.8	6.9	2.8	10.4	3.3

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than Hibernate with Derby server in persisting JPA entity objects to the database. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (3.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (10.4) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3.2 times faster than Hibernate with Derby server.

A large performance gap has been detected when using graphs of objects with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (1.6) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (7.3) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 4.6 times faster than Hibernate with Derby server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	21.8	3.8	30.1	8.4	25.9	6.1
Element Collection Test	0.0068	1.0	4.5	1.0	2.2	1.0
Inheritance Test	0.0025	3.5	2.0	9.7	0.98	6.6
Indexing Test	22.1	3.2	43.6	9.5	32.9	6.4
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.1	0.91	2.1	1.2	2.1	1.1
Multithreading Test	20.9	7.8	23.5	13.4	22.2	10.6
All Tests	11.1	3.4	17.6	7.2	14.4	5.3

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is more efficient than Hibernate with Derby server in retrieving JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (5.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (14.4) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.7 times faster than Hibernate with Derby server.

A large performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (3.2) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (22.1) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 6.9 times faster than Hibernate with Derby 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 Hibernate with Derby database server (3.5) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 1,400 times slower than Hibernate with Derby server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	2.8	34.0	0.91	4.1	1.9	19.1
Element Collection Test	1.4	33.8	0.95	0.64	1.2	17.2
Inheritance Test	2.4	20.5	1.3	5.0	1.8	12.8
Indexing Test	15.4	2.0	34.3	9.2	24.9	5.6
Multithreading Test	1.4	36.2	0.53	5.1	0.95	20.6
All Tests	4.7	25.3	7.6	4.8	6.1	15.1

The results above show that in general Hibernate with Derby server is 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 Hibernate with Derby database server (15.1) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with Derby server is 2.5 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 Hibernate with Derby database server (36.2) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with Derby server is 25.9 times faster than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded.

On the other hand, Hibernate with Derby server is slower, for instance, when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (2.0) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (15.4) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with Derby server is 7.7 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	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	12.0	2.9	5.3	2.5	8.6	2.7
Element Collection Test	0.017	2.3	3.7	1.5	1.8	1.9
Inheritance Test	0.0098	2.9	2.0	3.5	0.99	3.2
Indexing Test	9.3	3.0	5.5	4.2	7.4	3.6
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.5	1.2	1.6	0.58	2.1	0.91
Multithreading Test	20.0	6.8	3.7	2.5	11.8	4.6
All Tests	7.3	3.2	3.6	2.5	5.5	2.8

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

A large performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (2.9) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (12.0) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 4.1 times faster than Hibernate with Derby 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 (0.0098) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (2.9) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 296 times slower than Hibernate with Derby server.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	21.3	2.9	15.7	3.5	18.5	3.2
Element Collection Test	0.011	1.7	2.9	0.87	1.5	1.3
Inheritance Test	0.0070	2.9	3.5	3.6	1.8	3.2
Indexing Test	28.8	3.7	15.2	3.6	22.0	3.7
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.9	0.69	3.6	0.70	3.2	0.70
Multithreading Test	26.0	6.2	19.6	5.1	22.8	5.6
All Tests	13.2	3.0	10.1	2.9	11.6	3.0

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than Hibernate with Derby server in deleting JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (3.0) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (11.6) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3.9 times faster than Hibernate with Derby server.

A large performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (3.7) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (28.8) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 7.8 times faster than Hibernate with Derby 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 Hibernate with Derby database server (2.9) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 414 times slower than Hibernate with Derby 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	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	Hibernate Derby server
Basic Person Test	14.3	9.5	11.8	4.3	13.0	6.9
Element Collection Test	2.0	8.2	3.5	1.1	2.7	4.6
Inheritance Test	2.9	6.6	2.9	5.0	2.9	5.8
Indexing Test	18.5	3.3	21.6	6.1	20.0	4.7
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	3.4	1.2	3.7	1.0	3.5	1.1
Multithreading Test	19.0	12.8	10.9	6.0	14.9	9.4
All Tests	10.2	7.1	9.2	4.0	9.7	5.6

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

A large performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (3.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (18.5) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 5.6 times faster than Hibernate with Derby server.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (2.0) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with Derby database server (8.2) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 4.1 times slower than Hibernate with Derby server.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)