Setting Up Java Web Development Environment for CS5220

This guide is for setting up a Java web development environment for CS5220 on Windows. The same can be done on Linux or Mac in a similar way.

Java and Tomcat

JDK 7 or above is required for this class. You can download and install the latest Java SE JDK from Oracle - we only need the JDK, not JavaFX, NetBeans or Java EE. If you have an older version of JDK on your computer, please uninstall it before installing a new one.

Download the latest Tomcat 8.5 binary release from the Apache Tomcat Project. Note that there are several packages available for download. You should download the ZIP file under the "Core" distribution. After downloading the file, unzip it to a local directory, e.g. c:\apache-tomcat-8.5.x.

Eclipse

Download the latest Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers from Eclipse.org. There is now an Eclipse Installer, but personally I prefer the zip package as it does not require internet access or admin privilege during installation. Unzip the package to a local directory, e.g. c:\eclipse, then start up Eclipse by double-click on eclipse.exe under the Eclipse folder. If you are using Eclipse for the first time, you will be asked to choose a folder to be Eclipse's workspace where your projects will be stored.

Also in Eclipse, click Window -> Preferences -> Maven, check Download repository index updates on startup. Restart Eclipse to download Maven repository index. Downloading Maven repository index for the first time may take a few minutes, so make sure you have a reliable internet connection. You can see the progress at the bottom right corner of the Eclipse window.