Comparison of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded vs DataNucleus with H2 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 HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	13.3	19.2	6.9	8.0	10.1	13.6
Element Collection Test	8.6	6.6	5.3	2.8	7.0	4.7
Inheritance Test	12.2	15.6	5.8	4.4	9.0	10.0
Indexing Test	16.7	24.4	9.1	11.8	12.9	18.1
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	6.1	9.2	7.3	6.2	6.7	7.7
Multithreading Test	26.8	34.9	7.0	7.1	16.9	21.0
All Tests	13.9	18.3	6.9	6.7	10.4	12.5

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with H2 embedded is slightly more efficient than OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded in persisting JPA entity objects to the database.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	21.8	13.2	30.1	13.5	25.9	13.3
Element Collection Test	0.0068	6.4	4.5	8.9	2.2	7.7
Inheritance Test	0.0025	12.2	2.0	12.7	0.98	12.4
Indexing Test	22.1	8.1	43.6	16.5	32.9	12.3
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.1	10.6	2.1	20.9	2.1	15.8
Multithreading Test	20.9	13.3	23.5	9.9	22.2	11.6
All Tests	11.1	10.6	17.6	13.7	14.4	12.2

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slightly more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded in retrieving JPA entity objects from the database.

A large performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (8.1) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (22.1) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.7 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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 DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (12.2) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 4,880 times slower than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	2.8	4.7	0.91	1.4	1.9	3.1
Element Collection Test	1.4	5.0	0.95	2.4	1.2	3.7
Inheritance Test	2.4	3.8	1.3	1.6	1.8	2.7
Indexing Test	15.4	0.0041	34.3	1.8	24.9	0.91
Multithreading Test	1.4	1.2	0.53	0.79	0.95	1.0
All Tests	4.7	3.0	7.6	1.6	6.1	2.3

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded in executing the tested JPA queries. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (2.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (6.1) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.7 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (0.0041) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (15.4) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3,756 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, when using JPA element collections with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (1.4) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (5.0) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3.6 times slower than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	12.0	10.0	5.3	3.9	8.6	6.9
Element Collection Test	0.017	7.6	3.7	3.9	1.8	5.8
Inheritance Test	0.0098	9.4	2.0	4.4	0.99	6.9
Indexing Test	9.3	10.6	5.5	5.9	7.4	8.2
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.5	5.9	1.6	3.7	2.1	4.8
Multithreading Test	20.0	failed	3.7	failed	11.8	failed
All Tests	7.3	8.7	3.6	4.4	5.5	6.5

DataNucleus with H2 embedded has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with H2 embedded 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 DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (9.4) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with H2 embedded is 959 times faster 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	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	21.3	4.2	15.7	1.3	18.5	2.8
Element Collection Test	0.011	4.9	2.9	1.6	1.5	3.2
Inheritance Test	0.0070	4.0	3.5	1.3	1.8	2.7
Indexing Test	28.8	7.5	15.2	1.9	22.0	4.7
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.9	5.6	3.6	4.1	3.2	4.8
Multithreading Test	26.0	failed	19.6	failed	22.8	failed
All Tests	13.2	5.2	10.1	2.0	11.6	3.6

DataNucleus with H2 embedded has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded in deleting JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (3.6) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (11.6) reveals that in these tests, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3.2 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (1.3) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (15.7) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 12.1 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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 DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (4.0) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 571 times slower than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	41.4	27.0	41.4	27.0	41.4	27.0
Element Collection Test	46.9	22.4	46.9	22.4	46.9	22.4
Inheritance Test	41.4	27.0	41.4	27.0	41.4	27.0
Indexing Test	48.4	31.6	49.2	32.1	48.8	31.9
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	28.5	20.0	21.4	15.0	25.0	17.5
Multithreading Test	51.9	33.9	10.3	9.2	31.1	21.5
All Tests	43.1	27.0	35.1	22.1	39.1	24.6

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded in using disk space.

A large gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized score of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (22.4) to the normalized score of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (46.9) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.1 times more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

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

Transaction/Retrieval Size	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded	OpenJPA HSQLDB embedded	DataNucleus H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	14.3	10.3	11.8	5.6	13.0	7.9
Element Collection Test	2.0	6.1	3.5	3.9	2.7	5.0
Inheritance Test	2.9	9.0	2.9	4.9	2.9	6.9
Indexing Test	18.5	10.1	21.6	7.6	20.0	8.9
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	3.4	7.8	3.7	8.7	3.5	8.3
Multithreading Test	19.0	16.5	10.9	5.9	14.9	11.2
All Tests	10.2	9.6	9.2	6.0	9.7	7.8

The results above show that in general OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slightly more efficient than DataNucleus with H2 embedded in performing JPA database operations.

A large performance gap has been detected when using database indexes with large transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (7.6) to the normalized speed of OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded database (21.6) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 2.8 times faster than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

On the other hand, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is slower, for instance, 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 DataNucleus with H2 embedded database (9.0) reveals that in that case, OpenJPA with HSQLDB embedded is 3.1 times slower than DataNucleus with H2 embedded.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)