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Welcome to Struts 2

Struts 2 is a web-based MVC framework that emphasizes simplicity and interoperability. The framework is designed so that you can use as many or as few of its features as you likeflexible control layer based on standard technologies like Java Filters, JavaBeans, ResourceBundles, and XML, as well as various
OpenSymphony packages, like OGNL and XWork. The framework helps you create an extensible development environment for your application, based on industry standards and proven design patterns.

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In a conventional web application, requests are often directed to a server page. The server page is responsible for all the processing required by the request.

In a Stuts 2 application, the request first goes to a dispatcher component that selects an action. The action can include an Action class, several Result classes, and even exception handling. The action can also include a set of "interceptors" that are used to apply common concerns to similar requests.

Struts 2 in a Nutshell

The framework provides its own web Controller component and integrates with other technologies to provide the Model and the View. For the Model, the framework can interact with standard data access technologies, like JDBC and EJB, as well as most any third-party packages, like Cayenne, Hibernate, or iBATIS. For the View, the framework works well with JavaServer Pages, including JSTL and JSF, as well as FreeMarker or Velocity Templates, PDF, XSLT, and other presentation systems.

The framework's Controller acts as a bridge between the application's Model and the web View. When a request is received, the Controller invokes an Action class. The Action class consults with the Model (or, preferably, a Facade representing your Model) to examine or update the application's state. To transfer data between the Model and the View, properties can be placed on the Action class, or on a plain old JavaBean.

Most often, the Model is represented as a graph of JavaBean objects. Preferably, the Model will do the "heavy lifting", and the Action will act as a "traffic cop" or adapter. The framework provides sophisticated, automatic type conversion to simplify transfering data between rich domain objects and text-only HTTP requestsThe Action class manages the programming logic for the request and selects a Result class. The Result class can either render the response directly or (more often) transfer control to a server page or template page.

To make it easier to access dynamic data obtained by an Action, the framework includes a library of custom tags. The tags interact with the framework's validation and internationalization features, to ensure that input is correct and output is localized. The tag library can be used with JavaServer Pages or FreeMarker templatesJSP, FreeMarker, or Velocity.

Getting Started

The online documentation is grouped into three areas.

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