What is the difference between @TransactionalEventListener and a transactional outbox?

Separates transaction-phase callbacks inside one process from durable database-backed publication across process failure.

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@TransactionalEventListener invokes a listener according to a transaction phase, commonly after commit. That is useful for in-process work that should happen only if the transaction succeeds. It is not a durable queue: the process can commit the database transaction and crash before or during the listener. A transactional outbox writes the business change and an outbox record in the same database transaction, then a separate publisher retries delivery.

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TransactionalEventListener phases, after-commit behavior, process crash window, outbox atomicity, publisher retries, and idempotency.

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Running a listener after commit does not persist the intent to run it; an outbox closes that durability gap.
@TransactionalEventListener invokes a listener according to a transaction phase, commonly after commit. That is useful for in-process work that should happen only if the transaction succeeds. It is not a durable queue: the process can commit the database transaction and crash before or during the listener. A transactional outbox writes the business change and an outbox record in the same database transaction, then a separate publisher retries delivery.
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An after-commit listener should not assume it can safely modify the just-committed transaction; new durable work needs its own transaction. fallbackExecution also changes behavior when no transaction exists and should be deliberate. The outbox publisher claims records, publishes with an event identifier, records progress, and tolerates duplicate delivery through idempotent consumers. This costs storage and operations but gives recoverable intent.

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Calling after-commit listeners guaranteed delivery.
Writing required remote messages directly inside the database transaction.
Assuming the outbox prevents duplicate consumption.

What is the difference between @TransactionalEventListener and a transactional outbox?

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