HornetQ is an open source project to build a multi-protocol, embeddable, very high performance, clustered, asynchronous messaging system.
HornetQ is an example of Message Oriented Middleware (MoM) .
MQ框架非常之多，比较流行的有RabbitMq、ActiveMq、ZeroMq、kafka。这几种MQ到底应该选择哪个？要根据自己项目的业务场景和需求
HornetQ是一个支持集群和多种协议，可嵌入、高性能的异步消息系统。HornetQ完全支持JMS，HornetQ不但支持JMS1.1 API同时也定义属于自己的消息API，这可以最大限度的提升HornetQ的性能和灵活性。在不久的将来更多的协议将被HornetQ支持。
HornetQ拥有超高的性能，HornetQ在持久化消息方面的性能可以轻易的超于其它常见的非持久化消息引擎的性能。当然，HornetQ的非持久化消息的性能会表现的更好！
HornetQ完全使用POJO，纯POJO的设计让HornetQ可以尽可能少的以来第三方的包。从设计模式来说，HornetQ这样的设计入侵性也最小。HornetQ既可以独立运行，也可以与其它Java应用程序服务器集成使用。
HornetQ拥有完善的错误处理机制，HornetQ提供服务器复制和故障自动转移功能，该功能可以消除消息丢失或多个重复信息导致服务器出错。
HornetQ提供了灵活的集群功能，通过创建HornetQ集群，您可以享受到到消息的负载均衡带来的性能提升。您也可以通过集群，组成一个全球性的消息网络。您也可以灵活的配置消息路由。
HornetQ拥有强大的管理功能。HornetQ提供了大量的管理API和监控服务器。它可以无缝的与应用程序服务器整合，并共同工作在一个HA环境中。
Here are a selection of the reasons:
Open Source Software - HornetQ is released under the Apache v 2.0 Licence.
Written in Java - HornetQ runs on any platform with a Java 5 or later runtime.
JMS and above - HornetQ supports the JMS 1.1 and 2.0 APIs and also defines its own messaging API for maximum performance and flexibility. Other protocols are planned for upcoming releases.
Superb performance - HornetQ class-beating high performance journal provides persistent messaging performance at rates normally seen for non-persistent messaging. Non-persistent messaging performance rocks the boat too.
POJO-based design - HornetQ has been designed using POJO and minimal third-party dependencies. You choose how you want to use HornetQ: run it stand-alone, integrate it with JBoss Application Server or another Java server/container or embed it directly inside your own product.
Solid high availability - HornetQ offers server replication and automatic client failover to eliminate lost or duplicated messages in case of server failure.
Flexible clustering - Create clusters of HornetQ servers that know how to load balance messages. Link geographically distributed clusters over unreliable connections to form a global network. Configure routing of messages in a highly flexible way. Adapt HornetQ to your network topology, not the other way round.
Management - HornetQ provides a comprehensive management API to manage & monitor servers. It is integrated seamlessly to the servers to work in a highly available environment.
Documentation & Examples - All HornetQ features are documented and examples are provided. Read the documentation, run the examples and leverage HornetQ features to make your messaging code more robust and performant.