Article comparing Hibernate with Toplink

brucekissinger · **Joined:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:18 pm **Posts:** 3

I recently had a chance to use Hibernate and Toplink on two very similar J2EE projects. I wrote a brief document summarizing my experience with these two systems. The article is a bit high-level but I tried to put in code fragments in case people want to more details.

The URL is: http://www.calextech.com/articles/HibernateToplink.pdf

I'd appreciate any comments that people might have.

Bruce Kissinger

christian · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:24 pm

I get a 403.

brucekissinger · **Joined:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:18 pm **Posts:** 3

Sorry - our web server blocks certain hosts or ISPs because of frequent hacking attempts. I opened the server up a little bit more - you should be able to get to it now.

christian · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:54 pm

- Figure 3 looks like a Hibernate query, not Toplink

- Toplinks Expression builder is much more like Hibernates Criteria queries, there are good usecases for both a string based query language and an object-oriented query/expression API

- You don't have to check for (id == 0), Hibernate does this for you, check saveOrUpdate() and unsaved-value

I don't agree with all of your conclusions. For example, I find Toplinks mapping workbench buggy (it crashed every time I tried to use it) and I think most developers are faster with a good XML editor and a DTD. To be frank, this overview is not really what I would need before I make a decision for either framework.

brucekissinger · **Joined:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:18 pm **Posts:** 3

Thanks for the feedback!

Actually - I tried using saveOrUpdate() and it didn't work. That's why I resorted to handling the save() or update() manually.

michael · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 6:43 pm

Most likely you didn't use unsaved-value or set it to a wrong value.

max · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:30 am

Hi!

This answer comes from the top of Val Thorens and with a "strained" leg so i got the time to answer :)

I have looked forward to see someone (other than me) compare Hibernate with Toplink, and now you have done it i'll comment on it...

1. You write Toplink supports any database that has an JDBC interface and "only" list a fixed set of databases for Hibernate. Hibernate ALSO supports any database that has an JDBC interface - but you are not guarenteed to get all the features (think of the JDBC interface for CSV files) .... the same goes for Toplink.

2. The "complex objects relationships" mark is very vague....all those names is specific for both hibernate and toplink - you can't just compare them on their name since some of these are different in the two products.

3. The Toplink screenshot is unreadable (very blurry) ?
(and i must say that i have not yet succesfully used toplinks gui ... always fell back to tune by hand the xml...but i guess it is a matter of taste)

4. Query'ing ...you should list the different query possibilities in the two products! Hibernate has HQL, Criteria and Native SQL ....Toplink got QBE, Native SQL and I also think they got some kind of Stored Procedure support - but their docs are kinda vague on this point.

5. You say Toplink supports composite keys directly....and implies Hibernate does not by saying you need to implement equals() and hashcode()....is Toplink doing something magically since it does not require this on it's objects? .....

6. ...and I don't yet know of a graphical mapping tool being developed...what is the specific tool you are referring to ?

7. Hibernate also have commercial support!

The Topic is interesting, but i don't think the article brings anything new to the table and it does not even compare the two products - it only lists what is possible in (almost) all ORM's i know off....it's not enough to even start deciding anything - sorry :)