Apache Tomcat

Tomcat, also maintained by the Apache Software Foundation, is a specialized web server and servlet container specifically designed to run Java-based web applications. Tomcat is used to serve Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP).

Key Features of Tomcat:

1. 1.Java support: It is primarily used for hosting web applications written in Java, supporting Java Servlets, JSP, and Java Expression Language.
2. 2.Lightweight application server: Tomcat is not a full-fledged application server like WildFly or Glassfish, but a lightweight server ideal for running web applications.
3. 3.Cross-platform: Tomcat runs on any platform that supports Java.
4. 4.Handles Java-based dynamic content: Unlike Apache, which is used to serve static content and dynamic content through scripting languages (PHP, Perl), Tomcat is specifically designed to serve Java-based web content.

Apache vs. Tomcat
• Apache HTTP Server is a general-purpose web server designed to serve static websites or dynamic content generated by server-side languages like PHP or Python.
• Apache Tomcat, on the other hand, is specifically designed to run Java web applications using technologies like Java Servlets and JSP.
In many cases, Apache HTTP Server and Tomcat can be used together. Apache can serve as the front-end to handle static content, while Tomcat can handle dynamic Java applications in the back-end.

Steps to install Apache Tomcat

Step 1: Update the System Before you begin, ensure your system packages are up-to-date. Run the following command:
sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Java
Tomcat runs on Java, so you need to install it first. The default OpenJDK package can be installed by running:
sudo apt install default-jdk

Step 3: Create a Tomcat User (Optional but Recommended)
For security reasons, it’s a good idea to create a separate user to run Tomcat:
sudo useradd -r -m -U -d /opt/tomcat -s /bin/false tomcat

• -r: Creates a system account (no password).
• -m: Ensures the home directory for Tomcat is created.
• -d: Sets the home directory to /opt/tomcat.
• -s: Disables shell access by setting /bin/false.
  Step 4: Download Tomcat
  Head to the Apache Tomcat site to find the download link for the latest version. Download it using wget, replacing with the version number:
  wget https://downloads.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-/v/bin/apache-tomcat-.tar.gz
  Step 5: Extract the Tomcat Archive
  Extract the downloaded file to the /opt/tomcat/ directory:
  sudo tar -xf apache-tomcat-.tar.gz -C /opt/tomcat/

Step 6: Set Up Directory Permissions
Change the ownership of the Tomcat installation to the Tomcat user created earlier:
sudo chown -R tomcat: /opt/tomcat/apache-tomcat-

Step 7: Create a Symbolic Link (Optional)
You can create a symbolic link to make managing future upgrades easier:
sudo ln -s /opt/tomcat/apache-tomcat- /opt/tomcat/latest

Then ensure the Tomcat user owns the symbolic link:
sudo chown -R tomcat: /opt/tomcat/latest

Step 8: Configure Tomcat as a Service
To ensure Tomcat starts automatically, create a systemd service file:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service

Inside the file, add the following configuration:

[Unit]
Description=Apache Tomcat Web Application Container
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=forking

User=tomcat
Group=tomcat

Environment=”JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java”
Environment=”CATALINA_PID=/opt/tomcat/latest/temp/tomcat.pid”
Environment=”CATALINA_HOME=/opt/tomcat/latest”
Environment=”CATALINA_BASE=/opt/tomcat/latest”
Environment=”CATALINA_OPTS=-Xms512M -Xmx1024M -server -XX:+UseParallelGC”
Environment=”JAVA_OPTS=-Djava.awt.headless=true -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom”

ExecStart=/opt/tomcat/latest/bin/startup.sh
ExecStop=/opt/tomcat/latest/bin/shutdown.sh

Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Step 9: Reload and Start Tomcat
To enable the new service file to be loaded, reload the systemd daemon:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Enable the service to start at boot:
sudo systemctl enable tomcat

Start Tomcat with:
sudo systemctl start tomcat

Step 10: Verify Installation
You can check if Tomcat is running by accessing http://:8080 in a web browser.

Or, you can use the following command to check Tomcat’s status:
sudo systemctl status tomcat

This guide should get Apache Tomcat running on your Ubuntu server securely and effectively!

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