Java: What is the difference between CascadeType.ALL and cascade = {CascadeType.PERSIST, CascadeType.MERGE}?

CascadeType.ALL — cascades all operations. Specific types — cascades only listed operations.

CascadeType.ALL:

• Cascades: PERSIST, MERGE, REMOVE, REFRESH, DETACH.
• All child operations affect parent.
• Risk of unintended deletions.
• Convenient but dangerous.

1@OneToMany(mappedBy = "user", cascade = CascadeType.ALL)
2private List<Order> orders;
3// Deleting user deletes all orders

Specific cascade types:

• PERSIST — save child with parent.
• MERGE — update child with parent.
• REMOVE — delete child with parent.
• REFRESH — refresh child from DB.
• DETACH — detach child from context.

1@OneToMany(mappedBy = "user", cascade = {CascadeType.PERSIST, CascadeType.MERGE})
2private List<Order> orders;
3// Deleting user does NOT delete orders

How it works:

1. Cascade operations propagate from parent to children.
2. CascadeType.ALL cascades all operations.
3. Specific types cascade only the listed operations.
4. CascadeType.REMOVE can cause unintended data loss.

Best practice:

• Use specific types to avoid accidental deletions.
• Use CascadeType.ALL only when you truly want all operations cascaded.
• Consider orphanRemoval for cleanup.