Web Browsers and HTTP Protocol

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Questions and Answers

What does the protocol part of a web address specify?

The location of the server's database
The type of web browser used
The method of data transfer to the server (correct)
The unique name of the server

Which directory must a web application have according to servlet specifications?

META-INF
webapps
WEB-INF (correct)
public

What is required to set up Java Development Kit (JDK) for web applications?

Downloading and installing it (correct)
Using a server-side language
Creating a template Java file
Configuring a database connection

How should the deployment descriptor (DD) be named in a web application?

web.xml (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of testing your servlet after installation?

To check that the application server is running (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it recommended not to write the deployment descriptor from scratch?

Pre-defined templates simplify the process (B) Signup and view all the answers

In which directory should the deployment descriptor be placed?

WEB-INF (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the first steps in creating your first web application?

Create your deployment directory (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the POST method compared to the GET method?

POST can handle unlimited length of data. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What indicates where the web server can process the request in an HTTP request?

The server resource path. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about GET requests is true?

GET requests can be bookmarked by users. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In the URL structure, what does the 'key=value' format represent?

Parameters within a GET request. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which part in an HTTP GET request separates the field names and associated data?

An ampersand (&) (A) Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the form data when using the POST method?

It is sent in the request body. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is a security concern associated with GET requests?

Form data is visible in the URL. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which character in a URL separates the data from the location on the server?

? (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the destroy() method in a servlet?

To clean up resources like database connections. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly differentiates between ServletConfig and ServletContext?

ServletConfig is one per servlet, while ServletContext is one per web application. (D) Signup and view all the answers

When is the ServletContextListener executed in a web application lifecycle?

When the web application is first created. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What are Context Init Parameters used for in a servlet?

To declare strings for use across the web application. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Under which condition would you consider overriding the destroy() method in a servlet?

If resources need to be cleaned up before the servlet is destroyed. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the service() method in a servlet?

To call doGet() or doPost() based on the request (B) Signup and view all the answers

What role does the ServletConfig object play in a servlet?

Holds servlet parameters defined in web.xml (C) Signup and view all the answers

When is the doGet() or doPost() method called?

Based on the HTTP method in the request (B) Signup and view all the answers

What could be a reason to override the doPost() method in a servlet?

To process form data submitted via POST requests (B) Signup and view all the answers

What happens if an email address stored in the web.xml file is changed?

Only the web.xml file needs to be updated, no other changes are required (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding the initialization of a servlet?

ServletConfig object must be passed during initialization (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does a servlet retrieve its configuration parameters?

Using the ServletConfig object (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which method should be overridden if you need to handle HTTP GET requests?

doGet() (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is required to compile a servlet using javac?

The servlet-api.jar must be included in the classpath (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the deployment descriptor (DD) in relation to servlets?

It declares servlets within the application (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant drawback of using servlets for generating HTML?

It requires escaping characters like double quotes (B) Signup and view all the answers

When a user clicks a link to a servlet URL, what is the first action taken by the container?

It creates an HttpServletRequest object (B) Signup and view all the answers

Where should you place the JSP file to ensure it's accessible by the web application?

In the application's root directory (A) Signup and view all the answers

What actions does the web container take after it identifies the request is for a servlet?

It allocates a thread and passes the request to the servlet (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of content can a JSP page include that standard HTML cannot?

Server-side Java code (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding NetBeans in the context of servlet development?

It can automate the building and deploying of web applications (C) Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

HTTP Methods Overview

GET: Limited length for form data, appended to the URL. Not secure as data can be seen in the URL.
POST: Unlimited length for form data, included in the request body. More secure since data is not visible in the URL.

Anatomy of a GET Request

Format: GET /app/Registration?firstname=Jose&lastname=Rizal HTTP/1.1
Host: Specifies the server handling the request.
Parameters: Key-value pairs appended after ?, separated by &. Spaces are replaced by +, and other special characters are hex-coded.

Anatomy of a POST Request

Format: POST /app/Registration HTTP/1.1
Parameters: Sent in the body rather than the URL, making them invisible in the request.

URL Structure

Protocol: Identifies the communication protocol, e.g., http://.
Server Name: Unique identifier for the server, e.g., www.acme.com.
Path: Location of the requested resource on the server, e.g., /app/Registration.
Query String: Following the ?, containing key-value pairs.

Server Setup & Configuration

Install Java Development Kit (JDK) and an application server.
Test the installation and set up the development environment.
Create a standard deployment directory and place the application following servlet specifications.
Use a deployment descriptor web.xml for servlet declarations.

Servlet Basics

Web Container: Manages servlets, initializes them, and handles requests.
Servlet Methods: doGet() and doPost() determine how to handle HTTP requests.
Service Method: Calls either doGet() or doPost() based on the request method.

Development Tools

Manual Java web application development can be tedious; tools like NetBeans can automate building and deployment.
Servlet compilation requires including dependencies (e.g., servlet-api.jar).

JavaServer Pages (JSP)

JSP pages can include Java code within HTML, allowing dynamic content generation.
Managed similarly to servlets but primarily used for presentation rather than business logic.

Servlet Configuration & Parameters

ServletConfig: Contains initialization parameters for a specific servlet.
ServletContext: Provides parameters available application-wide for all servlets.
Initialization: Servlets are initialized with config parameters from the deployment descriptor.

Cleanup and Lifecycle

destroy() Method: Invoked when the server deletes a servlet instance to free up resources.
ServletContextListener: Executes during application creation for setup before any servlets are instantiated.

Mapping Benefits

Proper servlet mapping enhances application flexibility, allowing adjustments without code recompilation.

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