Comparison of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server 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
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	5.2	4.6	4.8	2.8	5.0	3.7
Element Collection Test	2.8	2.4	2.2	1.6	2.5	2.0
Inheritance Test	4.6	4.6	3.2	2.7	3.9	3.7
Indexing Test	7.4	7.6	6.9	4.8	7.1	6.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.98	1.6	0.81	1.4	0.89	1.5
Multithreading Test	23.4	8.6	9.1	3.3	16.2	5.9
All Tests	7.4	4.9	4.5	2.8	5.9	3.8

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

A large performance gap has been detected when using multithreading with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (3.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (9.1) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is 2.8 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby embedded.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	5.8	6.8	16.1	14.9	10.9	10.9
Element Collection Test	0.013	5.4	8.7	7.6	4.4	6.5
Inheritance Test	5.2	8.8	17.6	14.8	11.4	11.8
Indexing Test	4.8	9.2	18.7	14.1	11.8	11.6
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.27	9.9	0.35	15.8	0.31	12.9
Multithreading Test	11.9	11.9	23.3	11.5	17.6	11.7
All Tests	4.7	8.7	14.1	13.1	9.4	10.9

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

A huge performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (0.013) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (5.4) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 415 times faster than OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server.

On the other hand, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is slower, for instance, when using multithreading with large retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (11.5) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (23.3) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 2.0 times slower than OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	failed	39.1	failed	7.5	failed	23.3
Element Collection Test	failed	46.0	failed	6.7	failed	26.3
Inheritance Test	failed	7.7	failed	3.8	failed	5.7
Indexing Test	failed	0.053	failed	8.0	failed	4.0
Multithreading Test	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed	failed
All Tests	failed	23.2	failed	6.5	failed	14.8

OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server has failed in 10 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
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	4.9	4.0	3.9	3.8	4.4	3.9
Element Collection Test	0.033	3.7	4.6	4.5	2.3	4.1
Inheritance Test	4.8	4.4	4.9	4.8	4.9	4.6
Indexing Test	5.1	5.2	6.0	4.2	5.6	4.7
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.57	2.7	0.31	1.5	0.44	2.1
Multithreading Test	22.2	failed	7.4	failed	14.8	failed
All Tests	6.3	4.0	4.5	3.7	5.4	3.9

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

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

On the other hand, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (0.033) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (3.7) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is 112 times slower than DataNucleus with Derby embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	4.6	3.5	5.3	1.3	5.0	2.4
Element Collection Test	0.032	1.9	2.8	1.6	1.4	1.7
Inheritance Test	4.3	2.4	4.6	1.3	4.4	1.9
Indexing Test	8.0	6.6	7.1	1.9	7.5	4.3
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.53	0.81	0.55	0.93	0.54	0.87
Multithreading Test	17.4	failed	9.1	failed	13.3	failed
All Tests	5.8	3.0	4.9	1.4	5.4	2.2

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

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is more efficient than DataNucleus with Derby embedded in deleting JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (2.2) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (5.4) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is 2.5 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby embedded.

A large performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (1.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (5.3) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is 4.1 times faster than DataNucleus with Derby embedded.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (0.032) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (1.9) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server is 59.4 times slower 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
	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded	OpenJPA PostgreSQL server	DataNucleus Derby embedded
Basic Person Test	5.1	11.6	7.5	6.1	6.3	8.8
Element Collection Test	0.72	11.9	4.6	4.4	2.6	8.1
Inheritance Test	4.7	5.6	7.6	5.5	6.2	5.5
Indexing Test	6.3	5.7	9.7	6.6	8.0	6.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.59	3.7	0.50	4.9	0.55	4.3
Multithreading Test	18.7	10.3	12.2	7.4	15.5	8.8
All Tests	6.0	8.0	7.0	5.7	6.5	6.9

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

A huge performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with small transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with PostgreSQL database server (0.72) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with Derby embedded database (11.9) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with Derby embedded is 16.5 times faster than OpenJPA with PostgreSQL server.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)