If I have a simple delete statement, that doesn't map to a pojo, can I use createSQLQuery to execute it? Or, do I have to obtain a connection from the session?

ex. String sql = "delete * from employee where emplid= :emplid";

getSession().createSQLQuery(sql).setString("emplid",emplid);

Will createSQLQuery always execute the query?

createSQLQuery doesn't execute the query. And the proper syntax would be "delete from employee where emplid = :emplid" ( No * )

Look at the bottom of page 132 in the 3.0.5 docs for an example using a pojo. I don't think you can use Hibernate when not using a mapped pojo.

If you're not using a mapped pojo, couldn't you just get the jdbc connection from the session and execute the query?

ex. java.sql.Connection connection = session.connection();

Yes that will work.

But, if I was doing a select on a mapped pojo, createSQLQuery would be sufficient to execute the query?

Assuming your object is named Employee...

String hqlString = "delete Employee where emplid = :emplid"
int deleteCnt = session.createQuery(hqlString).executeUpdate();