After a user resets a password, I want to force the user to change the password before she gets access to secured content. This is usually done with a servlet filter. But with Spring MVC, you can also use a HandlerInterceptor . According to Spring JavaDoc: HandlerInterceptor is basically similar to a Servlet 2.3 Filter, but in contrast to the latter it just allows custom pre-processing with the option of prohibiting the execution of the handler itself, and custom post-processing. Filters are more powerful, for example they allow for exchanging the request and response objects that are handed down the chain. Note that a filter gets configured in web.xml, a HandlerInterceptor in the application context. As a basic guideline, fine-grained handler-related preprocessing tasks are candidates...

In JSP you output the web application context path with: ${pageContext.request.contextPath} Facelets are not JSPs, and there's no pageContext . So the above does not work. But in facelets you can use request directly: ${request.contextPath} For example, a link to the root URL: <a href="${request.contextPath}">Home</a> Servlet request URL: <h2>#{request.requestURL}</h2>

To delete a cookie in Java servlet API, call Cookie.setMaxAge(0) . According to Servlet API JavaDoc : A positive value indicates that the cookie will expire after that many seconds have passed. Note that the value is the maximum age when the cookie will expire, not the cookie's current age. A negative value means that the cookie is not stored persistently and will be deleted when the Web browser exits. A zero value causes the cookie to be deleted.

To inject ServletContext into a Spring bean: implement ServletContextAware : import javax.servlet.ServletContext; import... Define bean in Spring application context: <beans:bean id="myBean" class="com.example.M...

Set the warnLogCategory attribute to log uncaught exception stacktrace: <bean class="org.springframework.web.servl...

There are two steps to create a custom function for JSP: Declare the function in the TLD: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <taglib... Implement the function (must be static): package com.example; public class UrlTransl... To use the function: <%@ taglib uri="http://www.example.com/jsp/tags" p...

Spring MVC 3.1 can send either JSON or HTML response on the same URL, depending on the type of response requested. With this mechanism, a page can be sent when directly requested from a link, but a JSON response can be sent in response to an AJAX request. This is the controller code: package com.example; import java.util.Map; ... In the above example, JSON response will be sent when the HTTP request contains header "Accept: application/json". HTML response will be sent then the header is "Accept: */*", or "Accept: text/html", or anything else. You can add a limitation that the HTML response does not produce "application/json". But then the question is which response will be sent when the HTTP header is "Accept: */*"? Both methods will...

The HandlerMapping bean for @RequestMapping annotated @Controller is: org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.annotation.DefaultAnnotationHandlerMapping for Spring MVC prior to 3.1 org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerMapping for Spring MVC 3.1 This info might be handy if you want to add an interceptor: <beans> <bean id="handlerMapping" ...

1. mvc:default-servlet-handler Configures a handler for serving static resources by forwarding to the Servlet container's default Servlet. Use of this handler allows using a "/" mapping with the DispatcherServlet while still utilizing the Servlet container to serve static resources. HandlerMapping: org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping Handler: org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping Attribute Description default-servlet-name The name of the default Servlet to forward to for static resource requests. The handler will try to auto-detect the container's default Servlet at startup time using a list of known names. If the default Servlet cannot be detected because of using an unknown container or because it has been manually configured, the servlet name must be set explicitly. 2. mvc:view-controller Defines a simple Controller that selects a view to render the response. HandlerMapping: org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping Handler: org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.ParameterizableViewController Attribute Description...

These bean types are essential for the Spring MVC framework. I copied them here from the Spring Documentation for quick reference. Bean type Explanation HandlerMapping Maps incoming requests to handlers and a list of pre- and post-processors (handler interceptors) based on some criteria the details of which vary by HandlerMapping implementation. The most popular implementation supports annotated controllers but other implementations exists as well. HandlerAdapter Helps the DispatcherServlet to invoke a handler mapped to a request regardless of the handler is actually invoked. For example, invoking an annotated controller requires resolving various annotations. Thus the main purpose of a HandlerAdapter is to shield the DispatcherServlet from such details. HandlerExceptionResolver Maps exceptions to views also allowing for more complex exception handling code. ViewResolver Resolves logical String-based...