Struts 2 Maven Archetypes

Struts 2 provides several Maven archetypes that create a starting point for our own applications.

Quickstart

A recommended way to start with Struts2 archetypes is to use archetype:generate goal with filter parameter.

mvn archetype:generate -Dfilter=org.apache:struts

Available Archetypes

The Blank Convention Archetype (struts2-archetype-convention)

Features

• Convention-based validation

• Example actions

• Package-level resource bundle

• Unit-testing

• Google AppEgine aware

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-convention

The Blank Archetype (struts2-archetype-blank)

The Struts 2 Blank Archetype (“blank-archetype”) provides a minimal, but complete, Struts 2 application. It demonstrates some of the most basic Struts 2 concepts.

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-blank

The Starter Archetype (struts2-archetype-starter)

The Starter archetype creates a more featured application using several common technologies used in production applications.

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)

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-starter

The AngularJS Archetype (struts2-archetype-angularjs)

Features

• Convention-based Action Configuration

• Example actions with JSON Result

• Example for AngularJS and Struts2 Integration

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-angularjs

The Portlet Blank Archetype (struts2-archetype-portlet)

The Portlet blank archetype creates a minimally populated JSR 168 portlet.

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/<artifactId>/pluto/index.jsp)

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-portlet

The Portlet Database Archetype (struts2-archetype-dbportlet)

The Portlet database archetype creates a simple JSR 168 portlet that displays the contents of a database table.

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

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myWebApp \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-dbportlet

The Plugin Archetype (struts2-archetype-plugin)

Features

• Example new result type

• Example XML-based configuration

mvn archetype:generate -B -DgroupId=com.mycompany.mysystem \
							-DartifactId=myPlugin \
							-DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
							-DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-plugin

Creating an Application Using a Maven Archetype

Run the following command from your new project's parent directory. The project will be created in a sub-directory named after the artifactId parameter.

The first two parameters, groupId and artifactId, should be set according to your needs:

• groupId This should be the root package of your application, e.g., com.mycompany.myapp.

• artifactId Names the project directory that will be created in the current directory.

mvn archetype:generate -B \
                       -DgroupId=tutorial \
                       -DartifactId=tutorial \
                       -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                       -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-blank

Staging repository

If the above command will fail because of missing archetypes in central repository, you can try to use staging repository.

Add staging repository to your settings.xml

<settings>
  <profiles>
    <profile>
      <id>staging</id>
      <repositories>
        <repository>
          <id>archetype</id>
          <url>https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/snapshots/</url>
          <releases>
            <enabled>true</enabled>
            <checksumPolicy>fail</checksumPolicy>
          </releases>
          <snapshots>
            <enabled>true</enabled>
            <checksumPolicy>warn</checksumPolicy>
          </snapshots>
        </repository>
      </repositories>
    </profile>
  </profiles>
</settings>

Use staging profile in the command.

mvn archetype:generate -B \
                       -DgroupId=tutorial \
                       -DartifactId=tutorial \
                       -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.struts \
                       -DarchetypeArtifactId=struts2-archetype-blank \
                       -Pstaging

Archetype Parameters

The -B option runs archetype:generate in batch mode; it avoids a prompt to confirm our settings.

Command Quick Reference

These commands are used from the directory created by the archetype plugin (the project's sub-directory that was created in the previous step).

• To install

   mvn install

• To run test cases

   mvn test

• To clean up (removes generated artifacts)

   mvn clean

• To package (creates a WAR file)

   mvn package

• To grab necessary JAR files etc.

   mvn initialize

• To run it with Jetty

   mvn jetty:run