CrudRepository, PagingAndSortingRepository, and JpaRepository

Let’s break down the difference between CrudRepository, PagingAndSortingRepository, and JpaRepository clearly — because they are related but not identical.

🧩 1. Common Ground

All three are interfaces provided by Spring Data JPA to abstract database operations.

They are hierarchically related, meaning:

JpaRepository ⟶ PagingAndSortingRepository ⟶ CrudRepository

JpaRepository ⟶ PagingAndSortingRepository ⟶ CrudRepository

So each higher interface extends the previous one and adds more features.

🔹 2. CrudRepository

Basic interface for CRUD operations.

public interface CrudRepository<T, ID> extends Repository<T, ID> { ... }

public interface CrudRepository<T, ID> extends Repository<T, ID> { ... }

✅ Provides:

• Create, Read, Update, Delete methods.

🔧 Common methods:

<S extends T> S save(S entity);
Optional<T> findById(ID id);
Iterable<T> findAll();
void deleteById(ID id);
void deleteAll();
boolean existsById(ID id);
long count();

<S extends T> S save(S entity);
Optional<T> findById(ID id);
Iterable<T> findAll();
void deleteById(ID id);
void deleteAll();
boolean existsById(ID id);
long count();

💡 Use When:

You just need basic CRUD operations — no pagination, no sorting, no JPA-specific features.

📘 Example:

public interface UserRepository extends CrudRepository<User, Long> {}

public interface UserRepository extends CrudRepository<User, Long> {}

🔹 3. PagingAndSortingRepository

Adds pagination and sorting on top of CrudRepository.

public interface PagingAndSortingRepository<T, ID> extends CrudRepository<T, ID> { ... }

public interface PagingAndSortingRepository<T, ID> extends CrudRepository<T, ID> { ... }

✅ Adds:

Methods for sorting and pagination.

🔧 Common methods:

Iterable<T> findAll(Sort sort);
Page<T> findAll(Pageable pageable);

Iterable<T> findAll(Sort sort);
Page<T> findAll(Pageable pageable);

💡 Use When:

You need to fetch data in pages or sort results easily.

📘 Example:

public interface UserRepository extends PagingAndSortingRepository<User, Long> {}

public interface UserRepository extends PagingAndSortingRepository<User, Long> {}

Usage:

Pageable pageable = PageRequest.of(0, 10, Sort.by("name").ascending());
Page<User> page = userRepository.findAll(pageable);

Pageable pageable = PageRequest.of(0, 10, Sort.by("name").ascending());
Page<User> page = userRepository.findAll(pageable);

🔹 4. JpaRepository

Extends everything above + adds JPA-specific features.

public interface JpaRepository<T, ID> 
    extends PagingAndSortingRepository<T, ID> { ... }

public interface JpaRepository<T, ID> 
    extends PagingAndSortingRepository<T, ID> { ... }

✅ Adds:

More advanced JPA operations like:

• Batch operations
• Flushing persistence context
• Deleting in bulk
• Working with persistence context (EntityManager)

🔧 Common methods:

List<T> findAll();
List<T> findAllById(Iterable<ID> ids);
void flush();
<S extends T> S saveAndFlush(S entity);
void deleteInBatch(Iterable<T> entities);

List<T> findAll();
List<T> findAllById(Iterable<ID> ids);
void flush();
<S extends T> S saveAndFlush(S entity);
void deleteInBatch(Iterable<T> entities);

💡 Use When:

You want full JPA capabilities, such as:

• Integration with Hibernate session
• Batch inserts/updates
• EntityManager features

📘 Example:

public interface UserRepository extends JpaRepository<User, Long> {}

public interface UserRepository extends JpaRepository<User, Long> {}

🧱 5. Hierarchy Diagram

Repository
   │
   └── CrudRepository
          │
          └── PagingAndSortingRepository
                   │
                   └── JpaRepository

Repository
   │
   └── CrudRepository
          │
          └── PagingAndSortingRepository
                   │
                   └── JpaRepository

So:

• JpaRepository ⊃ PagingAndSortingRepository ⊃ CrudRepository

Each layer adds features on top of the previous.

⚖️ 6. Comparison Table

✅ In Practice

👉 In most Spring Boot projects, developers use JpaRepository because:

• It includes everything in the others.
• It’s the most flexible and convenient.
• Works seamlessly with Hibernate and Spring Data JPA features.

💡 Summary: