Difference Between get() and load() in Hibernate with example

The primary difference between the get() and load() methods is that the get() method will return null if there are no rows available in the session cache or the database. If a row is not available, the load() method will produce an exception.

Both classes are available in the Session class. The methods get() and load() are similar in that they both get records from the database. However, there are some significant difference between get() and load().

The get() and load() methods will be covered in this section. We’ll also understand the difference between get() and load(). In this article, we’ll examine the get() and load() methods in the context of database hits, when proxy objects are used, and in terms of performance and availability of the object in the session cache.

Table of Contents

Session.get() Vs Session.load()

One of the most often asked questions in hibernate and spring interviews is what is the difference between get and load methods.

#	get() method	load() method
1	If the object with the specified identifier cannot be found, the Session.get() method will return null.	If the object for the specified identifier cannot be found, the Session.load() method will raise an ObjectNotFoundException exception.
2	The database is always accessed when the get() method is used.	The load() method does not hit to the database.
3	It gives you an actual object.	It gives you a proxy object.
4	Use the get() method if you’re not sure if the object with the identifier exists or not.	You can use the load() method if you are certain the object exists.
5	The get() method, as you may know, returns a fully initialized object. As a result, performance is slower than load ().	The load() method is quicker than the get() method.

Session.get() in hibernate example

Session session = SessionFactory.getCurrentSession();
Department dept = (Department) session.get(Department.class, deptId);

Session.load() in hibernate example

Session session = SessionFactory.getCurrentSession();
Department dept = (Department) session.load(Department.class, deptId);

It all comes down to the get() and load() methods. I hope you’ve grasped the fundamentals of Session.get() vs Session.load(). After reading this article, you should be able to pick which Hibernate method to employ.