What is the difference between DTO and Entity in Java?
In Java, DTO (Data Transfer Object) and Entity are two common concepts that have some differences between them.
- Definition and purpose:
- DTO: DTO stands for data transfer object, which is used to transfer data between different layers. DTO usually contains business data of the application but without business logic. It is commonly used to transfer data between different layers of the application, such as controller layer, service layer, and data access layer, in order to reduce network overhead.
- Entity: An entity is an object used to represent entities in a database. Entities usually correspond to tables in the database and contain the various fields of the table. Entities are typically used to represent the state and behavior of the database.
- Attributes and methods:
- DTO properties are typically related to business data and are used for storing data. DTO usually only includes properties and their corresponding getter and setter methods, without any business logic.
- Entities in general correspond to the fields of a database table and are used to store data. They typically include attributes, corresponding getter and setter methods, and the business logic of the entity.
- Variability:
- DTO: The properties of a DTO are typically mutable and can be modified based on business requirements.
- Entity properties are typically mutable and can be modified based on database operations.
- Focus:
- DTO focuses primarily on data transmission and efficiency in order to reduce network overhead.
- Entity mainly focuses on data storage and interaction with databases, used to represent database entities.
In general, DTO is used to transfer data between different layers, reducing network overhead, and does not contain business logic; while Entity is used to represent database entities, containing properties and business logic related to the database.
