Hibernate / MyBatis Interview questions
What is the difference between MyBatis and Hibernate?
Both are Java persistence frameworks, but they represent fundamentally different philosophies: MyBatis is a SQL mapper that keeps hand-written SQL front and center, while Hibernate is a full object-relational mapping (ORM) framework that generates SQL automatically from an object model.
| MyBatis | Hibernate |
| Developer writes the actual SQL by hand. | Hibernate generates SQL automatically from entity mappings. |
| Full control over exact query structure and tuning. | Less direct control; relies on Hibernate's query generation. |
| No automatic dirty checking or entity state management. | Automatic dirty checking, entity lifecycle, and caching by default. |
| Lighter learning curve for teams already comfortable with SQL. | Steeper learning curve around ORM concepts (sessions, lazy loading semantics). |
The practical decision often comes down to team preference and query complexity: teams wanting precise, hand-tunable SQL (complex reporting, legacy schemas, heavy joins) often lean toward MyBatis, while teams wanting rapid CRUD development with less manual SQL, and who are comfortable with an ORM's abstractions, often lean toward Hibernate.
Who writes the actual SQL in a MyBatis application?
What does Hibernate provide automatically that MyBatis does not by default?
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