struts2 Getting started with struts2

Remarks

Download

A distribution can be downloaded from the Apache Struts website. The full distribution contains:

• the struts2-core.jar file
• related dependencies
• example applications
• a copy of the documentation in HTML format
• the complete source code.

Blank Application

The blank web application in the distribution's apps directory is meant as a template.

There is even a simple batch file in the source code directory that we can use to recompile the application in place.

We can make a copy of the blank.war , deploy it to our container, and use the exploded copy as the basis for our application.

New application from Maven Archetype

For those of us using Maven as a build system, we can use the Maven Archetype to create a new application.

First consult the maven archetype catalog

mvn archetype:generate -DarchetypeCatalog=http://struts.apache.org/
 

you can use one of the following achetypes:

The Blank Convention Archetype (struts2-archetype-convention)

It has the following features:

• Convention-based validation
• Example actions
• Package-level resource bundle
• Unit-testing
• Google AppEgine aware

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-convention \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The Blank Archetype (struts2-archetype-blank)

It has the following features:

• XML-based configuration, demonstrates including additional config file
• Example actions
• Package-level resource bundle
• XML-based validation
• Unit-testing

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-blank \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The Starter Archetype (struts2-archetype-starter)

It has the following features:

• Sitemesh integration
• Action example (instantiated both through Spring and Struts)
• Spring integration
• Validation example (action and action-alias level)
• Conversion example (global and action level)
• Resource bundle (both global, action and package level)

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-starter \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The AngularJS Archetype (struts2-archetype-angularjs)

It has the following features:

• Convention-based Action Configuration
• Example actions with JSON Result
• Example for AngularJS and Struts2 Integration

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-angularjs \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The Portlet Blank Archetype (struts2-archetype-portlet)

It has the following features:

• View, Edit, and Help mode examples
   

• Simple form for preferences in Edit mode
• Can be deployed as a servlet or portlet application
• Can use Maven Jetty plugin to deploy with the pluto-embedded profile (usage 'mvn jetty:run -Ppluto-embedded', then access http://localhost:8080//pluto/index.jsp)

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-portlet \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The Portlet Database Archetype (struts2-archetype-dbportlet)

It has the following features:

• Uses Spring and Hsql to show a real database query
   

• Builtin caching of query results
• View, Edit, and Help mode examples
• Simple form for preferences in Edit mode
• Can be deployed as a servlet or portlet application
• Can use Maven Jetty plugin to deploy as a servlet webapp

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myWebApp \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-dbportlet \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org
 

The Plugin Archetype (struts2-archetype-plugin)

It has the following features:

• Example new result type
• Example XML-based configuration

to download it trough maven run the command

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
                            -DartifactId=myPlugin \
                            -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                            -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-plugin \
                            -DarchetypeVersion=<CURRENT_STRUTS_VERSION> \
                            -DremoteRepositories=http://struts.apache.org