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Tomcat web server, Introduction to Servlets: Servlets, the Advantage of Servlets over
“Traditional” CGI, Basic Servlet Structure, Simple Servlet Generating Plain Text, Compiling and
Installing the Servlet, Invoking the Servlet, Lifecycle of a Servlet, The Servlet API, Reading
Servlet parameters, Reading Initialization parameters, Context Parameters, Handling Http
Request & Responses, Using Cookies-Session Tracking, Servlet with JDBC.
Servlet technology is used to create web application (resides at server side and generates
dynamic web page).
Servlet technology is robust and scalable because of java language. Before Servlet, CGI
(Common Gateway Interface) scripting language was popular as a server-side
programming language. But there was many disadvantages of this technology. We have
discussed these disadvantages below.
There are many interfaces and classes in the servlet API such as Servlet, GenericServlet,
HttpServlet, ServletRequest, ServletResponse etc.
Disadvantages of CGI
There are many problems in CGI technology:
1. If number of clients increases, it takes more time for sending response.
2. For each request, it starts a process and Web server is limited to start processes.
3. It uses platform dependent language e.g. C, C++, perl.
Advantage of Servlet
There are many advantages of servlet over CGI. The web container creates threads for handling
the multiple requests to the servlet. Threads have a lot of benefits over the Processes such as they
share a common memory area, lightweight, cost of communication between the threads are low.
The basic benefits of servlet are as follows:
1. Better performance: because it creates a thread for each request not process.
2. Portability: because it uses java language.
3. Robust: Servlets are managed by JVM so we don't need to worry about memory leak,
garbage collection etc.
4. Secure: because it uses java language.
Servlet Structure
Lifecycle of a Servlet
The web container maintains the life cycle of a servlet instance. Let's see the life cycle of the
servlet:
1. Servlet class is loaded.
2. Servlet instance is created.
3. init method is invoked.
4. service method is invoked.
5. Destroy method is invoked.
As displayed in the above diagram, there are three states of a servlet: new, ready and end. The
servlet is in new state if servlet instance is created. After invoking the init() method, Servlet
comes in the ready state. In the ready state, servlet performs all the tasks. When the web
container invokes the destroy() method, it shifts to the end state.
1) Servlet class is loaded
The classloader is responsible to load the servlet class. The servlet class is loaded when the first
request for the servlet is received by the web container.
2) Servlet instance is created
The web container creates the instance of a servlet after loading the servlet class. The servlet
instance is created only once in the servlet life cycle.
3) init method is invoked
The web container calls the init method only once after creating the servlet instance. The init
method is used to initialize the servlet. It is the life cycle method of the javax.servlet.Servlet
interface. Syntax of the init method is given below:
public void init(ServletConfig config) throws ServletException
4) service method is invoked
The web container calls the service method each time when request for the servlet is received. If
servlet is not initialized, it follows the first three steps as described above then calls the service
method. If servlet is initialized, it calls the service method. Notice that servlet is initialized only
once. The syntax of the service method of the Servlet interface is given below:
public void service(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response) throws ServletException
, IOException
5) destroy method is invoked
The web container calls the destroy method before removing the servlet instance from the
service. It gives the servlet an opportunity to clean up any resource for example memory, thread
etc. The syntax of the destroy method of the Servlet interface is given below:
public void destroy()
Simple Servlet Generating Plain Text, Compiling and Installing the Servlet,
Invoking the Servlet
There are given 6 steps to create a servlet example. These steps are required for all the servers.
Here, we are going to use apache tomcat server in this example. The steps are as follows:
1. Create a directory structure
2. Create a Servlet
3. Compile the Servlet
4. Create a deployment descriptor
5. Start the server and deploy the project
6. Access the servlet
1)Create a directory structures
The directory structure defines that where to put the different types of files so that web
container may get the information and responds to the client.
The Sun Microsystem defines a unique standard to be followed by all the server vendors. Let's
see the directory structure that must be followed to create the servlet.
2) Create a Servlet
There are three different ways to create a servlet.
• By implementing Servlet interface
• By extending GenericServlet class
• By extending HttpServlet class
• Mostly HttpServlet class is used to create a servlet
• Java program is in WEB-INF/classes/
3) Compile the Servlet
• To compile a Servlet a JAR file is required.
• Different servers require different JAR files.
• In Apache Tomcat server servlet-api.jar file is required to compile a servlet class.
Steps to compile a Servlet
• Set the Class Path.
• Download servlet-api.jar file.
• Paste the servlet-api.jar file inside java/jdk/jre/lib/ext directory
• Compile the Servlet class.
4) Create a deployment descriptor
<web-app>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>sonoojaiswal</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>DemoServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>sonoojaiswal</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/welcome</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>
5) Start the server and deploy the project
• To start Apache Tomcat server, double click on the startup.bat file under apache-
tomcat/bin directory.
• One Time Configuration for Apache Tomcat Server
You need to perform 2 tasks:
• set JAVA_HOME or JRE_HOME in environment variable (It is required to start server).
• Change the port number of tomcat (optional).
• It is required if another server is running on same port (8080).
6) Access the servlet
Open broser and write http://hostname:portno/contextroot/urlpatternofservlet.
For example:
http://localhost:8080/demo/welcome
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
public class Experiment9 extends HttpServlet
{
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException,
IOException
{
PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
out.println("Welcome to Servlet");
}
}
web.xml
<web-app>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>DemoServlet</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>DemoServlet</servlet-class>
<init-param>
<param-name>driver</param-name>
<param-value>sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver</param-value>
</init-param>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>DemoServlet</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/servlet1</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>
Example of ServletConfig to get all the initialization parameters
In this example, we are getting all the initialization parameter from the web.xml file and printing
this information in the servlet.
DemoServlet.java
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
public class DemoServlet extends HttpServlet
{
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
throws ServletException, IOException
{
response.setContentType("text/html");
PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
ServletConfig config=getServletConfig();
Enumeration<String> e=config.getInitParameterNames();
String str="";
while(e.hasMoreElements())
{
str=e.nextElement();
out.print("<br>Name: "+str);
out.print(" value: "+config.getInitParameter(str));
}
out.close();
}
}
web.xml
<web-app>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>DemoServlet</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>DemoServlet</servlet-class>
<init-param>
<param-name>username</param-name>
<param-value>system</param-value>
</init-param>
<init-param>
<param-name>password</param-name>
<param-value>oracle</param-value>
</init-param>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>DemoServlet</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/servlet1</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>
Context Parameters
ServletContext Interface
An object of ServletContext is created by the web container at time of deploying the project.
This object can be used to get configuration information from web.xml file. There is only one
ServletContext object per web application.
If any information is shared to many servlet, it is better to provide it from the web.xml file using
the <context-param>element.
Advantage of ServletContext
Easy to maintain if any information is shared to all the servlet, it is better to make it available
for all the servlet. We provide this information from the web.xml file, so if the information is
changed, we don't need to modify the servlet. Thus it removes maintenance problem.
Usage of ServletContext Interface
There can be a lot of usage of ServletContext object. Some of them are as follows:
1. The object of ServletContext provides an interface between the container and servlet.
2. The ServletContext object can be used to get configuration information from the web.xml
file.
3. The ServletContext object can be used to set, get or remove attribute from the web.xml file.
4. The ServletContext object can be used to provide inter-application communication.
Types of Cookie
There are 2 types of cookies in servlets.
1. Non-persistent cookie
2. Persistent cookie
Non-persistent cookie
It is valid for single session only. It is removed each time when user closes the browser.
Persistent cookie
It is valid for multiple sessions. It is not removed each time when user closes the browser. It is
removed only if user logout or signout.
Advantage of Cookies
1. Simplest technique of maintaining the state.
2. Cookies are maintained at client side.
Disadvantage of Cookies
1. It will not work if cookie is disabled from the browser.
2. Only textual information can be set in Cookie object.
Cookie class
javax.servlet.http.Cookie class provides the functionality of using cookies. It provides a lot of
useful methods for cookies.
Constructor of Cookie class
Constructor Description
Cookie() constructs a cookie.
Cookie(String name, String value) constructs a cookie with a specified name and value.
Useful Methods of Cookie class
There are given some commonly used methods of the Cookie class.
Method Description
public void setMaxAge(int Sets the maximum age of the cookie in seconds.
expiry)
public String getName() Returns the name of the cookie. The name cannot be
changed after creation.
public String getValue() Returns the value of the cookie.
public void setName(String changes the name of the cookie.
name)
public void setValue(String changes the value of the cookie.
value)
index.html
<form action="servlet1" method="post">
Name:<input type="text" name="userName"/><br/>
<input type="submit" value="go"/>
</form>
FirstServlet.java
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
public class FirstServlet extends HttpServlet
{
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
{
try
{
response.setContentType("text/html");
PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
String n=request.getParameter("userName");
out.print("Welcome "+n);
Cookie ck=new Cookie("uname",n);//creating cookie object
response.addCookie(ck);//adding cookie in the response
//creating submit button
out.print("<form action='servlet2'>");
out.print("<input type='submit' value='go'>");
out.print("</form>");
out.close();
}
catch(Exception e)
{
System.out.println(e);
}
}
}
SecondServlet.java
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
public class SecondServlet extends HttpServlet {
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response){
try{
response.setContentType("text/html");
PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
Cookie ck[]=request.getCookies();
out.print("Hello "+ck[0].getValue());
out.close();
}catch(Exception e){System.out.println(e);}
}
}
web.xml
<web-app>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>s1</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>FirstServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>s1</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/servlet1</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>s2</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>SecondServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>s2</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/servlet2</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>
register.html
In this page, we have getting input from the user using text fields and combobox. The
information entered by the user is forwarded to Register servlet, which is responsible to store the
data into the database.
<html>
<head>
<title>forms</title>
</head>
<body>
<center><h1>Student Registration form</h1></center>
<form action="/experiment11/exp11" method="get">
<table cellspacing="20">
<tr>
<td>Roll Number of the Student:</td>
<td><input type="text" name="stroll"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Name of the Student</td>
<td><input type="text" name="stname"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>B.Tech Pass%</td>
<td><input type="text" name="pass"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adress:</td>
<td><textarea rows=7 cols=30 name="addr">
</textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><input type="submit"value="submit"></td>
<td><input type="reset"value="reset"></td>
</tr>
<table>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Register.java
This servlet class receives all the data entered by user and stores it into the database. Here, we
are performing the database logic. But you may separate it, which will be better for the web
application.
import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
import java.sql.*;
public class Experiment11 extends HttpServlet
{
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest req,HttpServletResponse
res)throws ServletException,IOException
{
String no,name,add;
float pass;
int rs;
PrintWriter pw;
res.setContentType("text/html");
pw=res.getWriter();
no=req.getParameter("stroll");
name=req.getParameter("stname");
pass=Float.parseFloat(req.getParameter("pass"));
add=req.getParameter("addr");
try
{
Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver");
Connection con=DriverManager.getConnection
("jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/vignan","root","vuit");
PreparedStatement stmt=con.prepareStatement
("insert into student values(?,?,?,?)");
stmt.setString(1,no);
stmt.setString(2,name);
stmt.setFloat(3,pass);
stmt.setString(4,add);
rs=stmt.executeUpdate();
if(rs>0)
pw.println("Student Registered Successfully");
pw.close();
con.close();
}//end of try
catch(Exception e)
{
pw.println(e);
}
}//end of doGet method
}//end of class
web.xml file
The is the configuration file, providing information about the servlet.
<web-app>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>Register</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>Register</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>Register</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/servlet/Register</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
<welcome-file-list>
<welcome-file>register.html</welcome-file>
</welcome-file-list>
</web-app>