What is JPA and why it is used?

A JPA (Java Persistence API) is a specification of Java which is used to access, manage, and persist data between Java object and relational database. It is considered as a standard approach for Object Relational Mapping. JPA can be seen as a bridge between object-oriented domain models and relational database systems.

Is JPA a framework?

By itself, JPA is not a tool or framework; rather, it defines a set of concepts that can be implemented by any tool or framework. While JPA’s object-relational mapping (ORM) model was originally based on Hibernate, it has since evolved.

Why JPA is an API?

The Java™ Persistence API (JPA) provides a mechanism for managing persistence and object-relational mapping and functions since the EJB 3.0 specifications. The JPA specification defines the object-relational mapping internally, rather than relying on vendor-specific mapping implementations.

What is implementation of JPA?

JPA is a specification and several implementations are available. Popular implementations are Hibernate, EclipseLink and Apache OpenJPA. The reference implementation of JPA is EclipseLink. JPA permits the developer to work directly with objects rather than with SQL statements.

What is Spring data vs JPA?

What Is the Difference Between Hibernate and Spring Data JPA? Hibernate is a JPA implementation, while Spring Data JPA is a JPA Data Access Abstraction. Spring Data offers a solution to GenericDao custom implementations. It can also generate JPA queries on your behalf through method name conventions.

Why was JPA introduced?

To reduce the burden of writing codes for relational object management, a programmer follows the ‘JPA Provider’ framework, which allows easy interaction with database instance. Here the required framework is taken over by JPA.

Is JPA still used?

There are a lot of use cases that can be better implemented with other frameworks. But in my experience, JPA and Hibernate are still a good fit for most applications because they make it very easy to implement CRUD operations. The persistence tier of most applications is not that complex.

Can we use only JPA without Hibernate?

JPA can be used without a JPA provider aka Hibernate, EclipseLink and so on only if the application server has already a JPA implementation.