This page and the Struts 2 Maven archetypes are works in progress.

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

Contents

Available Archetypes

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.

Features

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

See the Struts 2 Blank Archetype page for more information, including some basic Maven information, how to build and run the app, and basic application information.

The Starter Archetype (struts2-archetype-starter) (Not yet updated for 2.1.6)

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)

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)

The Portlet Database Archetype (struts2-archetype-dbportlet) (Not yet updated for 2.1.6)

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

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 \
                       -DarchetypeVersion=2.1.6

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 build

   mvn install

• To create IntelliJ IDEA project files

   mvn idea:idea

• To create Eclipse project files

   mvn eclipse:eclipse -Dwtpversion=1.5

• 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