Correct use of flush() in JPA/Hibernate

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Probably the exact details of em.flush() are implementation-dependent.
In general anyway, JPA providers like Hibernate can cache the SQL instructions they are supposed to send to the database, often until you actually commit the transaction.
For example, you call em.persist(), Hibernate remembers it has to make a database INSERT, but does not actually execute the instruction until you commit the transaction. Afaik, this is mainly done for performance reasons.

In some cases anyway you want the SQL instructions to be executed immediately; generally when you need the result of some side effects, like an autogenerated key, or a database trigger.

What em.flush() does is to empty the internal SQL instructions cache, and execute it immediately to the database.

Bottom line: no harm is done, only you could have a (minor) performance hit since you are overriding the JPA provider decisions as regards the best timing to send SQL instructions to the database.

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