Struts 2 Maven Archetypes

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

Contents

Quickstart
Available Archetypes
Creating an Application Using a Maven Archetype
- Staging repository
- Archetype Parameters
Command Quick Reference

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)

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.

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.

Parameter	Description
groupId	The id for the group the application belongs to. Usually is the root package for applications in your company, e.g. com.mycompany
artifactId	The id for the project. The project will be created a sub-directory named after this parameter.
archetypeGroupId	The group id of the archetype. Will always be org.apache.struts for Struts archetypes
archetypeArtifactId	The id of the archetype

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