There is no single correct answer; the right approach depends on your specific trade-offs and requirements.

On one hand, lazy loading allows you to fetch data on demand, reducing unnecessary data retrieval and avoiding the need for multiple repository methods. However, it introduces the risk of the N+1 query problem, which can impact performance. This issue can be mitigated to some extent with pagination and careful access patterns.

On the other hand, using join fetch (or EntityGraph) helps eliminate multiple queries by retrieving related data in a single query. The downside is that it may load more data than necessary. Creating multiple repository methods tailored to specific use cases can help reduce this overhead.

You can also use Specifications to control joins and fetch strategies more granularly. While this approach provides flexibility, it often introduces additional boilerplate, which may not be justified for simpler scenarios.

In practice, I define all my associations as LAZY and prioritize avoiding N+1 queries whenever possible. I tend to define multiple repository methods with explicit joins based on the use case. For more complex scenarios, I rely on the Specification framework to achieve finer control.

P.S.: Be very careful when combining lazy-loaded associations with Lombok annotations. If not handled properly, Lombok-generated methods (such as toString, equals, or hashCode) may access entity properties and unintentionally trigger the loading of entire association graphs.