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Struts 2.0.0 is the first distribution of WebWork 2 as an Apache Struts product.

For your convenience, a one-stop all distribution is available. Individaul elements of the distribution may also be downloaded separately.

• If you are a Maven developeruser, you might want to get started using the Maven Archetype.
• Another quick-start entry point is the blank application. Rename and deploy the WAR as a starting point for your own development.

Known Issues

• For known issues, see Struts 2.0.1

Key Snippets

Maven Artifact ID

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
    <artifactId>struts2-core</artifactId>
      <version>2.0.0-SNAPSHOT<0</version>
</dependency>

Struts Configuration DTD XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE struts PUBLIC
    "-//Apache Software Foundation//DTD Struts Configuration 2.0//EN"
    "http://struts.apache.org/dtds/struts-2.0.dtd">
<struts>
    <include file="struts-default.xml"/>
    <package name="support" extends="struts-default">
        <action name="$name" class="$class">
            <result>$location</result>
        </action>
    </package>
</struts>

XWork Validation XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE validators PUBLIC 
   "-//OpenSymphony Group//XWork Validator 1.0.2//EN" 
   "http://www.opensymphony.com/xwork/xwork-validator-1.0.2.dtd">
<validators>
    <field name="$name">
        <field-validator type="$type">
            <message>$message</message>
        </field-validator>
    </field>
</validators>

New Features and Extensions

• Can we use Acegi Security with the framework extension is available.
• CheckBox Interceptor detects unchecked checkboxes and adds a parameter with a default value (usually 'false') .
• JavaServer Faces extension is available.
• A struts.xml file can be placed in a JAR and automatically plugged into an application, so that modules can be self-contained and automatically configured.
  • In the case of Freemarker and Velocity modules, the templates can also be loaded from the classpath, so the entire module can be plugged in as a single JAR.
• DebuggingInterceptor displays the value stack at runtime.

Key Changes

Depending on whether you are coming from a Struts 1 or a WebWork 2 or Struts 1 background, your perspective on the key changes will differ.

From Struts 1

• See Comparing Struts 1 and 2
• More notes to come ...

From WebWork 2

• Struts 2 is dependant on XWork 2 (nightly build).
• At this time, Java 1.5 is required to build and deploy Struts 2. If possible.
  • For Java 1.4 deployments, RetroWeaver or RetroTranslater may be used to
  support
  • provide Java 1.4
  in the Struts 2.0.x series.
  • support
  • A pre-packaged set of RetroTranslator JARs is being provided with the distribution.

For other changes from WebWork 2, see the "Members to rename", "New property settings", "New members features or feature changes", and "Removed or deprecated".

Members to rename

The tag prefix conventions in the example applications have changed.

New property settings

New members or feature changes

...

New features and feature changes

• Various changes to ConfigurationManager
  • ConfigurationManager is no longer a static factory. It is now an instance created through Dispatcher. Custom configuration could be done through DispatcherListener.Configuration is no longer statically accessible, it is created by ConfigurationManager.
  • Custom configuration could be done through ConfigurationManager which in turns could be configured through DispatcherListener.Custom configuration to ConfigurationManager and Configuration cannot be done statically anymore, instead use Dispatcher's DispatcherListener to achieve such the same effect.
• The prepare interceptor now uses reflection to call prepareXxx where Xxx prepare_Method_ where method is the action method configured for the particular action in struts.xml.

  Code Block

  <action name="myAction" method="executeinsert" ....> ..... </action> // with the above configuration, and preparatorPrepareInterceptor interceptor in placeplay, call // sequencecallsequence will be 1] prepareExecute(prepareInsert() (If it exists) 2] prepare() (couldUnless beInterceptor's leftalwaysInvokePrepare outparameter dependingis onset interceptor's alwaysInvokePreapre parameterto false) 3] executeinsert()

• Default workflow interceptor DefaultWorkflowInterceptor (named workflow in struts-default.xml) now uses reflection to call validateXXX validateMethod on the action class that implements Validateable interface where XXX method is the action method configured for the particular actionin action in struts.xml.

  Code Block

  <action name="myAction" method="executeinsert" ...> ... </action> // with the above configuration, and workflowDefaultWorkflowInterceptor interceptor in placeplay, call // call sequence for action that imlpementsimplements Validateable interface will be 1] validateExecutevalidateInsert() 2] validate() (couldunless beInterceptor's leftalwaysInvokeValidate outparameter dependingis onset interceptor's alwaysInvokeValidate parameterto false) 3] executeinsert()

Removed or deprecated

...

action!alias

...

• Datepicker tag is now using dojo's (limited in terms functionality and internationalization)
• Tiles integration extension is available.
• Wildcards can be specified in action mappings.
• MessageStoreInterceptor is introduced to allow field errors / action errors and messages to be store and retrieve through session, resulting them to be preservable across request.

Removed or deprecated

 <s:textarea theme="ajax" /> 

  <action name="..." method="submit">
    ...
  </action>

In the old syntax,
  * try to execute submit() method in the action
  * try to execute doSubmit() method in the action if Step 1] fail
  * fail
In Struts2
  * try to execute submit() method in the action
  * fail

From Struts 1

...

...

Detail

• Release Notes (to date)

Pending and open issues

Other resources

• Commit Logs (Struts 1 and Struts 2)
• Source Code Repository (includes change browsing)