How to define <welcome-file-list> and <error-page> in servlet 3.0's web.xml-less?

java tomcat7 java-ee-6 servlet-3.0
Wins picture Wins · Nov 19, 2012 · Viewed 15.7k times · Source

I have existing web-app which I want to convert into web.xml-less of servlet's 3.0. I've managed to make it working, however there are 2 tags in web.xml which I still don't know the equivalent code in web.xml-less environment.

<welcome-file-list>
    <welcome-file>/index.jsp</welcome-file>
</welcome-file-list>

<error-page>
    <error-code>404</error-code>
    <location>/pageNotFound</location>
</error-page>

Any help is appreciated

Answer

Piotr Nowicki picture Piotr Nowicki · Nov 19, 2012

In Servlets 3.0 you don't need a web.xml for many cases, however, sometimes it's required or just useful. Your case is just one of them - there is no special annotations to define welcome-file list or error-pages.

Another thing is - would you really like to have them hardcoded? There are some valid use-cases for annotation / programmatic based configuration and for declarative configuration in XML. Moving to Servlets 3.0 doesn't necessarily means getting rid of web.xml at all cost.

I would find the entries you posted a better example of configuration in XML. Firstly - they can be changed from deployment to deployment and secondly - they affect whole application and not any particular Servlet.

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