JSP
[Java Server Pages]
Introduction
• JSP (Java Server Pages) is a server-side
technology like Servlets to generate dynamic
web pages based on client requests.
• JSP is a high level abstraction of servlets.
• JSP can be seen as Java code embedded in
HTML code, whereas servlet is HTML code
embedded in Java code.
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Introduction (cont…)
• JSP pages are executed by a program known as web
container or jsp container.
• A JSP page is internally converted to a servlet by the
server. That servlet processes the client request.
• JSP supports rapid development of database
applications.
• JSP is web server independent and platform
independent.
Introduction (cont…)
• JSP separates the dynamic content from the
static HTML content. So, a HTML developer
can work with HTML and a JSP developer
can include JSP code at a later point in time.
• Extension of a JSP page is .jsp.
• JSP is built on top of Servlet API.
2
Disadvantages of Servlets
• Servlet contains both business logic (java
code) and presentation logic (HTML).
• Difficult for maintaining web applications.
• Takes more time for development.
JSP Container or JSP Engine
• JSP container is a program (special servlet)
which forwards the jsp page request to a
servlet container.
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How JSP Works?
Steps in processing client requests
in JSP
1. Webserver identifies .jsp extension and forwards the
request to JSP container.
2. JSP container forwards the request to servlet
container.
3. Servlet container translates JSP source code to servlet
source code.
4. Servlet source code is compiled to create a class file.
5. Class file is loaded and instantiated.
6. Servlet is initialized by invoking jspInit() method.
7. Invokes, the _jspService() method, by passing
request and response objects.
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JSP Vs Servlets
JSP Servlets
1) JSP is a scripting language 1) Servlets are java programs
2) JSP is slower than Servlets 2) Servlets are faster than JSP
3) JSP is compiled into servlet 3) Servlet is compiled to a java class
4) Easier to code 4) Difficult to code
5) Easy to write data access logic 5) Difficult to write data access logic
6) Java code is embedded in HTML 6) HTML code is embedded in Java code
JSP Life Cycle Methods
• jspInit()
• _jspService()
• jspDestroy()
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HelloWorld - Servlet
import java.io.*; import
javax.servlet.*; import
javax.servlet.http.*;
public class HelloServlet extends HttpServlet
{
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException
{
response.getWriter().write(“<html><head><title>”);
response.getWriter().write(“Hello Servlet</title></head>”);
response.getWriter().write(“<body>”);
response.getWriter().write("Hello World!");
response.getWriter().write(“</body></html>”);
}
}
Hello World - JSP
<html>
<head>
<title>Hello JSP</title>
</head>
<body>
<% out.print(“Hello World!”); %>
</body>
</html>
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Anatomy of a JSP Page
• A JSP page consists of two parts:
– HTML/XML code
– JSP constructs
• Three types of JSP constructs:
• Scripting elements
– Scriptlets
– Declarations
– Expressions
• Directives
• Actions
Anatomy of a JSP Page (cont…)
• Scripting elements – Provides a way to write
java code which will be translated into a servlet.
• Directives – Directives are instructions given to
the JSP container on how to interpret and
execute the JSP page.
• Actions – Allows us to use existing components
and control the behavior of the JSP engine.
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Anatomy of a JSP Page (cont…)
• Scriptlets – Provides a way to insert java code
in the HTML or XML page.
• Declarations – Provides a way to declare
variables and methods.
• Expressions – Used to print the value of a
java expression.
Implicit Objects
• Implicit objects are objects that are predefined
in the _jspService() method of the JSP page’s
underlying servlet.
• Implicit objects are created automatically.
• Implicit objects contain information about
request, response, session, configuration
etc…
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Implicit Objects (cont…)
Object Class Description
out javax.servlet.jsp.JspWriter Output stream of the JSP page’s servlet
request javax.servlet.ServletRequest Current request being handled by the JSP
page
response javax.servlet.ServletResponse Response generated by the JSP page
config javax.servlet.ServletConfig Initialization information of JSP page’s
servlet
session javax.servlet.http.HttpSession Session object for the client
application javax.servlet.ServletContext Context of the JSP page’s servlet
exception java.lang.Throwable Represents errors which are only
accessible in an error page
page java.lang.Object Refers to JSP page
pageContext javax.servlet.jsp.PageContext Context of JSP page that provides APIs to
manage various scoped attributes. It is
extensively used by the tag handlers.
JSP Tags
JSP Tag Meaning
<%.....%> For scriptlets that contain java statements
<%!......%> For declaring variables, methods and inner classes
<%=…….%> For expressions
<%@.....%> For directives such as page and include
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Scriptlets
• Scriptlets are JSP constructs which allow the
developers to insert java code into a HTML
page.
• The code in a scriptlet will be inserted into
the servlet’s _jspService() method.
• A scriptlet can contain any number of
variables, expressions or class declarations.
Scriptlet - Example
<html>
<head><title>Scriptlet Demo</title></head>
<body>
<% out.print(“Welcome to JSP”); %>
</body>
</html>
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Scriptlet – Conditional Processing
• We can execute a set of statements based on the
result of a condition in a control statement.
<%
int number =
10;
if(number > 10)
{
%>
<p>Valid input</p>
<%
}
else
{
%>
<p>Invalid input</p>
<%
}
%>
Declarations
• JSP declaration construct is used to declare
variables, methods or inner classes.
• Variables declared using declarations are
treated as instance variables.
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Declarations - Example
<%! int a = 10; %>
<%! int b = 20; %>
<%! int sum; %>
<% sum = a+b;
out.print(“Sum = “+sum);
%>
Expressions
• JSP expression construct allows the
developers to display tiny amount of data in a
JSP page.
• It is an alternative to using out.write() and
out.print().
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Expressions - Example
• Sum of 10 and 20 is: <%= 10+20 %>
Directives
• Directives are instructions given to the JSP
container on how to interpret and execute the
JSP page.
• Directives are written in between <%@ and
%>.
• Frequently used directives are page, include
and taglib.
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Page Directive
Syntax of page directive:
<%@ page
[ language = “java”]
[ extends = “package.class” ]
[ import = “ package.class | package.*, …” ]
[session = “true | false” ]
[ buffer = “none | 8kb | size kb” ]
[autoFlush = “true | false” ]
isThreadSafe = “true | false” ]
[ info = “text” ]
[ errorPage = “relativeURL” ]
[contentType = “MIMEType [ ;charset=characterSet ]” | “text/html
;charset=ISO-8859-1” ]
[ isErrorPage = “true | false” ]
%>
Page Directive (cont…)
Attribute Description Example
import Used to import the classes <%@ page import=“java.sql.*” %>
available in java packages.
This attribute can be used
multiple times
session Specifies whether a session <%@ page session=true %>
object should be created for
the JSP page
buffer Used to specify the size of <%@ page buffer =“10kb” %>
the buffer in kilo bytes
autoFlush Specifies whether the <%@ page autoFlush=“true” %>
buffer should be flushed
automatically or not
isThreadSafe Specifies whether the JSP <%@ page isThreadSafe=“true” %>
page can handle concurrent
requests or not
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Page Directive (cont…)
Attribute Description Example
info Used to specify description <%@ page info=“description…” %>
for the JSP page
contentType Specifies the MIME type <%@ page contentType=“text/html;en-
and character set being US” %>
used
errorPage Specifies the URL for the <%@ page errorPage=“err.jsp” %>
error page to be diplayed in
case of any errors
isErrorPage The error page should <%@ page isErrorPage=“true” %>
contain this attribute to
specify that it is an error
page
include Directive
• The include directive is used to insert the
content of another file into the JSP page.
Example:
<%@ include file=“header.html” %>
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include Directive - Example
Header Area (header.jsp)
Main Content
(content.jsp)
Footer Area (footer.jsp)
Variables, Methods and Classes
Example: <%!
class Sample
{
<%! int a = 10; %>
int x;
<%! }
int sum(int a, int b) %>
{ return a+b; }
%>
<% out.write( sum(10,20) ); %>
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Actions
• JSP actions are XML tags that can be used to
implement the predefined functionality
provided by JSP API.
Action Tag Description
<jsp:include ……> Used to include another page into the current JSP page
<jsp:param ……> Allows to add additional parameters to the current request
<jsp:forward ….> Transfers the control to the specified page from the current
requested page
<jsp:plugin …..> To embed applets or java beans into a JSP page
<jsp:fallback ….> Used along with the plugin action tag to display error
message when the plugin type is not supported
Actions (cont…)
Examples
<jsp:include page=“header.jsp” />
<jsp:include page=“books.jsp”>
<jsp:param name=“catid” value=“3” />
</jsp:include> <a href=“books.jsp?catid=3>Books</a>
<jsp:forward page=“validate.jsp” />
<jsp:plugin type=“applet” code=“Hello”>
<jsp:fallback>
<p>Enable Java plug-in in the browser</p>
</jsp:fallback>
</jsp:plugin>
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Session Tracking
• Session tracking mechanisms:
– URL rewriting
– Hidden form fields
– Cookies
– Session objects
Passing Control Between JSP Pages
• To pass the control from one JSP page to
another, use <jsp:forward> action tag.
Example
String un = request.getParameter(“txtuser”);
String pw = request.getParameter(“txtpass”);
//If valid user
<jsp:forward page=“uhome.jsp” />
//else
<jsp:forward page=“error.jsp” />
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Passing Data Between JSP Pages
• Data can be passed or shared by using any of
the four session tracking mechanisms or by
using the getParameter() or
getParameterNames() methods available on
the request object.
Sharing Session and Application Data
• The session data is available to only for a single user
and valid for a single session only. Usernames and
passwords are an example for session data.
• The application is available for all users and all pages.
Configuration information like database connection
string is an example for application data.
• Use setAttribute(name, value) and getAttribute(name)
for storing and accessing data from session and
application objects.
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Including Beans in JSP Pages
• The jsp:useBean action tag is used to locate
or instantiate a bean class. If bean object of
the Bean class is already created, it doesn't
create the bean depending on the scope. But if
object of bean is not created, it instantiates the
bean.
Including Beans in JSP Pages
(cont…)
<jsp:useBean id=“user" class=“UserBean"/>
<%
String name = user.getName();
out.print(name);
%>
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JSP MVC
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