SERVLETS

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Introduction to Servlet

 Servlet is a small program that execute on the server side of a

web connection. It provides a powerful mechanism for
developing web applications.

 Servlet receives and responds to requests from web clients.

 Servlet runs entirely inside the JVM (Java Virtual Machine)

 Just as applet extend the functionality of web browser, the

servlet extend the functionality of web server.

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Advantage of Servlet over "Traditional" CGI

 Java Servlet is :

o more efficient

o easier to use

o more powerful

o more portable

o and cheaper than traditional CGI (Common Gateway

Interface – first technology used to generate dynamic
content)

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1. Efficient

 With traditional CGI, a new process is started for each HTTP

request.

 If the CGI program does a relatively fast operation, the

overhead of starting the process can dominate the execution
time.

 With Servlet each request is handled by a lightweight Java

thread, not a heavyweight operating system process.

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 Similarly, in traditional CGI, if there are N simultaneous
request to the same CGI program, then the code for the CGI
program is loaded into memory N times.

 With Servlets, however, there are N threads but only a single

copy of the servlet class.

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2. Convenient

 Besides the convenience of being able to use a familiar

language, Servlets have an extensive infrastructure for :

o automatically parsing and decoding HTML form data

o reading and setting HTTP headers

o handling cookies

o tracking sessions and many other such utilities

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3. Powerful

 Servlets can communicate directly to the Web server (regular

CGI programs can't)

 This simplifies operations that need to look up images and

other data stored in standard places

 Servlets can also share data among each other, making

useful things like database connection pools easy to
implement.

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4. Portable

 Servlets are written in Java and follow a well-standardized

API.

 Consequently Servlets written for, say I-Planet Enterprise

Server can run virtually unchanged on Apache, Microsoft IIS,
or Web Star.

 Servlets are supported directly or via a plug in on almost

every major Web server.

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5. Inexpensive

 There are a number of free or very inexpensive Web servers

available that are good for "personal" use or low-volume Web
sites.

 Apache, which is free, most commercial-quality Web servers

are relatively expensive.

 Nevertheless, once you have a Web server, no matter the

cost of that server, adding servlet support to it is generally
free or cheap.

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Phases of Servlet life cycle (Anatomy of a Java Servlet)

1. Servlet class is loaded

◦ Servlet class is loaded when first request comes to web

container.

2. Servlet instance is created

◦ Web container creates the instance of servlet class only once.

3. Init() method is invoked

◦ It calls the init method automatically when the Java Servlet is

created.

◦ The statements in init() method are executed once during the life
of Java Servlet.

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 Syntax of init() method is

public void init(ServletConfig config) throws ServletException

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4. Service method is invoked

◦ Web container calls service method each time when request for
the servlet is received.

◦ If servlet is not initialized it calls init() then it calls the service()

method.

◦ The service() method examines the HTTP request type and then
calls the appropriate request method such as doGet() and
doPost().

Syntax of service method is as follows:

public void service(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse

response) throws ServletException,IOException

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5. Destroy method is invoked

◦ The web container calls the destroy method before it removes

the servlet from service.

◦ It gives servlet an opportunity to clean up memory, resources

etc.

Servlet destroy method has following syntax:

public void destroy().

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There are three states of Servlet new, ready, end.

◦ The Servlet instance is created when it is in new state.

◦ After invoking the init () method Servlet comes to ready state.

◦ In ready state Servlet invokes destroy method it comes to end

state.

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Using Tomcat for Servlet development

 Apache Tomcat, often referred to as Tomcat Server, is an open-

source Java Servlet Container developed by the Apache
Software Foundation (ASF).

 Tomcat implements several Java EE specifications

including Servlet, JSP etc.

Seven Steps to Run Servlet

1. Create a directory structure under Tomcat for your

application.

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2. Write the servlet source code.

3. Import the javax.servlet package and the javax.servlet.http

package in your source file.

4. Compile your source code.

5. Create a deployment descriptor.

6. Run Tomcat.

7. Call your servlet from a web browser.

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Program to print “HelloWorld” on Web server (static web page)

 File→New→ Dynamic Web Project→ specify project name (Eg:-

DemoHelloWorld)→ Next→Next→ tick the check box (Generate web.xml
deployment descriptor)→Finish

 Right click on HelloWorld→ New→ HTML file→ specify file name (index.html)
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h2>Hello World</h2>
</body>
</html>

 Right click on the html file → Run As → Run on Server

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Program Execution Procedure

 File→New→ Dynamic Web Project→ specify project name

(Eg:- DemoApp)→Next→Next→ tick the check box
(Generate web.xml deployment descriptor)→Finish

 Right click on DemoApp→New→ HTML file→ specify file

name (index.html)

 Right click on DemoApp→New→class file→ specify file Name

AddServlet and Package → servletpgms

 Click on main→ click on webapp→click on WEB-INF →

web.xml file

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Reading Data from a Client

 A client uses either the GET or POST method to pass

information to a java servlet.

 Depending on the method used by the client either doGet() or

doPost() method is called in servlet.

 Data sent by a client is read into java servlet by calling

getParameter() method of HttpservletRequest() object that
instantiated in the argument list of doGet() method and
doPost() method.

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 getParameter() requires one argument, which is the name of
parameter that contains the data sent by the client.
getParameter() returns the String object.

 String object contains the value assigned by the client. An

empty string object is returned when it does not assign a
value to the parameter. Also a null is returned when
parameter is not returned in the client.

 getParameterValues() used to return the array of string

objects.

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Sending Data to a Client

 A java servlet responds to a client’s request by reading client

data and HTTP request headers, and then processing
information based on the nature of the request.

 Explicit data are sent by creating an instance of the

PrintWriter object and then using println() method to transmit
the information to the client.

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Lab Program: 1

A program to display greeting message on the browser “ Hello

UserName”, “How are you”, accept username from the client using
servlet.

index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<form action="greet">
Enter User Name:<input type="text" name="uname"><br>
<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

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HelloUserName.java

package rachana;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

public class HelloUsername extends HttpServlet

{
public void service(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res)
throws IOException
{
String name= req.getParameter("uname");
PrintWriter out= res.getWriter();
out.println("Hello "+name+", How are you?");
}
}

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 web.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<web-app xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee
http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_4_0.xsd"
id="WebApp_ID" version="4.0">
<servlet>
<servlet-name>GreetingServlet</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>rachana.HelloUsername</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>GreetingServlet</servlet-name>
<url-pattern> /greet</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>

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Lab Program: 2

A program to display the name, USN and total marks by accepting

student detail

index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<form action="student">
Enter Name:<input type="text" name="name"><br>
Enter USN:<input type="text" name="usn"><br>
Total marks:<input type="text" name="marks"><br>
<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

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StudentServlet.java

package rachana;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;

public class StudentServlet extends HttpServlet

{
public void service(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse
res) throws IOException
{
String i=req.getParameter("name");
String j=req.getParameter("usn");
int k=Integer.parseInt(req.getParameter("marks"));
PrintWriter out= res.getWriter();
out.println("Nmae: "+i+" USN: "+j+" and total marks="+k);
}
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}
 web.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<web-app xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee
http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_4_0.xsd"
id="WebApp_ID" version="4.0">
<servlet>
<servlet-name>display</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>rachana.StudentServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>display</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/student</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>

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Program to receive two numbers and print the sum of it on web server.

index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<form action="add“ method=“post”>
Enter first number:<input type="text" name="num1"><br>
Enter second number:<input type="text" name="num2"><br>
<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

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 AddServlet.java

package DemoAdd;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;

public class AddServlet extends HttpServlet

{
public void service(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res) throws IOException
{
int i=Integer.parseInt(req.getParameter("num1"));
int j=Integer.parseInt(req.getParameter("num2"));
int k=i+j;
PrintWriter out= res.getWriter();
out.println("Result is "+k);
}
}
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 web.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<web-app xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee
http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_4_0.xsd"
id="WebApp_ID" version="4.0">
<servlet>
<servlet-name>abc</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>sevletpgms.AddServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>abc</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/add</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
</web-app>

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Explanation

 The Java class must extend HttpServlet and override the

HttpServlet’s service()/ or doGet() and / or doPost() methods.

 The doGet() method is used to interact with a request sent

using the METHOD=“GET” attribute from an HTML form or
when passing parameters on the URL like a hyperlink.

 The doPost() method is used for requests sent using the

METHOD=“POST”.

 Both the doGet() and doPost() methods require two arguments.

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 ◦ HttpservletRequest object → contains incoming information

◦ HttpservletResponse object → send outgoing information to

the client

◦ It throw a ServletException & IOException

 Incoming data includes explicit data and implicit data.

◦ Explicit data is supplied by a user and is contained in a query

string that contains data from a form.

◦ Implicit data is HTTP information such as request headers.

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 Outgoing data is sent by using a PrintWriter object using the
println() method and is forwarded to the client that made the
request.

 The format of the data sent to the client is client dependent.

 The println() method is used in conjunction with a PrintWriter

to send outgoing explicit data such as text that appears on
the web page.

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Deployment Descriptor

 Deployment descriptor is a file located in the WEB-INF

directory that controls the behavior of a java Servlet.

 The file is called the web.xml file and contains the header,
DOCTYPE, and web app element.

 The web app element should contain three elements.

1. servlet name

2. servlet class

3. servlet mapping

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 The servlet name elements contain the name used to access
the java servlet.

 The servlet class is the name of the java servlet class.

 The Servlet-mapping – specify the url here, which will be

printed along with package name.

Eg:- localhost:8080/DemoApp/add?num1=10&num2=10

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Example file

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding-“ISO-8859=1”?>…..XML header

< !DOCTYPE web-app PUBLIC “~//Sun Microsystems, Inc.??

DTD Web

Application2.2//EN”> ..doctype

<web-app>

<servlet>

<servlet-name>MyJavaservlet</servlet-name>

<servlet-class>myPackage.MyJavaservletClass</servlet-class>

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<servlet -mapping>

<servlet-name> MyJavaservlet </servlet-name>

<url-pattern> /abc</url-pattern>

</servlet -mapping>

</servlet>

</web-app>

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The Servlet API

 Two packages javax.servlet and javax.servlet.http contain

classes and interfaces required for servlet building.

 These are not part of Java SE and are provided by

standard extensions of Tomcat.

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javax.servlet package- core interfaces

Interface Description

Servlet Declares life cycle methods for a servlet.

ServletConfig Allows servlets to get initialization parameters.

ServletContext Enables servlets to log events and access

information about their environment.

ServletRequest Used to read data from a client request.

ServletResponse Used to write data to a client response.

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javax.servlet package- core classes
Class Description

GenericServlet Implements the Servlet and ServletConfig

interfaces.

ServletInputStream Provides an input stream for reading requests

from a client.

ServletOutputStream Provides an output stream for writing responses

to a client.

ServletException Indicates that a servlet error occurred.

UnavailableException Indicates that a servlet is permanently or

temporarily unavailable.

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