JDBC drivers are optimized based on the perceived use of the functions that are being executed. Choose between the PreparedStatement object and the Statement object depending on how you plan to use the object. The Statement object is optimized for a single execution of a SQL statement. In contrast, the PreparedStatement object is optimized for SQL statements to be executed two or more times.

The overhead for the initial execution of a PreparedStatement object is high. The advantage comes with subsequent executions of the SQL statement. For example, suppose we are preparing and executing a query that returns employee information based on an ID. Using a PreparedStatement object, a JDBC driver would process the prepare request by making a network request to the database server to parse and optimize the query. The execute results in another network request. If the application will only make this request once during its life span, using a Statement object instead of a PreparedStatement object results in only a single network roundtrip to the database server. Reducing network communication typically provides the most performance gains.

This guideline is complicated by the use of prepared statement pooling because the scope of execution is longer. When using prepared statement pooling, if a query will only be executed once, use the Statement object. If a query will be executed infrequently, but may be executed again during the life of a statement pool inside a connection pool, use a PreparedStatement object. Under similar circumstances without statement pooling, use the Statement object.