Menu

Struts2 framework

Struts2 framework

Struts2 is a popular open-source web application framework used for developing Java EE web applications. It is the successor to the original Apache Struts framework and is designed to simplify the development and maintenance of web applications by promoting the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture. Struts2 integrates well with other Java technologies and provides a clean separation of concerns, making it easier to develop, test, and maintain complex web applications.

Struts2 framework

Key Features

  • 1.  MVC Architecture : Struts2 follows the MVC design pattern, separating the application into three interconnected components: Model, View, and Controller.
  • 2.  POJO Actions : Actions in Struts2 are simple Plain Old Java Objects (POJOs), which makes testing and managing them easier.
  • 3.  Interceptors : Interceptors in Struts2 provide a way to apply cross-cutting concerns such as logging, validation, and exception handling.
  • 4.  Tag Libraries : Struts2 provides a rich set of tag libraries to create dynamic and interactive user interfaces.
  • 5.  Integration : Struts2 integrates easily with other frameworks and technologies such as Spring, Hibernate, and AJAX.
  • 6.  Internationalization : Built-in support for internationalization (i18n) makes it easier to develop multilingual applications.

Java Example

Below is a basic example demonstrating the use of Struts2 to create a simple web application.

Step 1 : Add Dependencies
xml
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
    <artifactId>struts2-core</artifactId>
    <version>2.5.26</version>
</dependency>

Step 2 : Configure struts.xml
xml
<struts>
    <package name="default" extends="struts-default">
        <action name="helloWorld" class="com.example.action.HelloWorldAction">
            <result name="success">/success.jsp</result>
        </action>
    </package>
</struts>

Step 3 : Create the Action Class
java
package com.example.action;

import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ActionSupport;

public class HelloWorldAction extends ActionSupport {
    private String message;

    public String execute() {
        message = "Hello, World!";
        return SUCCESS;
    }

    public String getMessage() {
        return message;
    }

    public void setMessage(String message) {
        this.message = message;
    }
}

Step 4 : Create the JSP View
jsp
<!-- success.jsp -->
<%@ taglib prefix="s" uri="/struts-tags" %>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Struts2 Hello World</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1><s:property value="message"/></h1>
</body>
</html>

Explanation

  • 1.  Dependencies : The necessary Struts2 dependencies are added to the Maven pom.xml file. This includes the core Struts2 library.
  • 2.  Configuration : The struts.xml file defines the Struts2 configuration. It specifies an action named helloWorld that is mapped to the HelloWorldAction class. Upon successful execution, it directs to success.jsp.
  • 3.  Action Class : The HelloWorldAction class is a simple POJO that extends ActionSupport. It contains a message property and an execute method that sets the message to “Hello, World!” and returns SUCCESS.
  • 4.  View : The success.jsp file uses the Struts2 tag library to display the message set by the action class.

Conclusion

Struts2 is a robust framework that simplifies the development of Java EE web applications by following the MVC architecture, providing easy-to-use tag libraries, and integrating well with other technologies. Its support for POJO actions, interceptors, and internationalization makes it a flexible and powerful tool for web development.

Homepage

Readmore