getEntityManager() and getDoctrine() in Symfony2

Question

Is there any difference between these two statements:

$this->getDoctrine()->getEntityManager()->getRepository();

$this->getDoctrine()->getRepository();

Does the difference relate to any OOP concept I am missing out?

Answer 1

In general, no difference, since

$this->getDoctrine()->getRepository();

is just a helper for

$this->getDoctrine()->getEntityManager()->getRepository();

You can have several entity managers, and then there will be a slight difference in getting a repository from one:

$this->getDoctrine()->getRepository($entityName, $enityManagerName);
$this->getDoctrine()->getEntityManager($entityManagerName)->getRepository($entityName);

But again, no difference in the result you'll get.

All other things being equal, I'd go with the shortest one.