Instead of managing multiple Jetty implementations out of several different distribution locations, it is possible to maintain a separation between the binary installation of the standalone Jetty (known as ${jetty.home}), and the customizations for your specific environment(s) (known as ${jetty.base}).
In addition to easy management of multiple server instances, is allows for quick, drop-in upgrades of Jetty.
There should always only be one Jetty Home (per version of Jetty), but there can be multiple Jetty Base directories that reference it.
- Jetty Base
-
-
Also known as the
${jetty.base}property. -
This is the location for your configurations and customizations to the Jetty distribution.
-
- Jetty Home
-
-
Also known as the
${jetty.home}property. -
This is the location for the Jetty distribution binaries, default XML IoC configurations, and default module definitions.
-
Jetty Home should always be treated as a standard of truth. All configuration modifications, changes and additions should be made in the appropriate Jetty Base directory.
Potential configuration is resolved from these 2 directory locations. When Jetty starts up in processes configuration from them as follows:
- Check Jetty Base First
-
If the referenced configuration exists, relative to the defined Jetty base, it is used.
- Check Jetty Home Second
-
If the referenced configuration exists, relative to the defined Jetty home, it is used.
- Use java.io.File(String pathname) Logic
-
Lastly, use the reference as a
java.io.File(String pathname)reference, following the default resolution rules outlined by that constructor. In brief, the reference will be used as-is, be it relative (to current working directory, aka $\{user.dir}) or absolute path, or even network reference (such as on Windows and use of UNC paths).
For more details on how startup with start.jar works, see Using start.jar: Executing
The Jetty Distribution comes with an example ${jetty.base} which enables the various demonstration webapps and server configurations.
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ ls -la
total 496
drwxrwxr-x 11 user group 4096 Oct 8 15:23 ./
drwxr-xr-x 14 user group 4096 Oct 8 13:04 ../
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 bin/
drwxrwxr-x 6 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 demo-base/
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 11 15:14 etc/
drwxrwxr-x 11 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 lib/
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 30012 Sep 30 19:55 license-eplv10-aslv20.html
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 logs/
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 modules/
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 6262 Sep 30 19:55 notice.html
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 1249 Sep 30 19:55 README.TXT
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 resources/
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 start.d/
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 1780 Sep 30 19:55 start.ini
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 71921 Sep 30 19:55 start.jar
-rw-rw-r-- 1 user group 336468 Sep 30 19:55 VERSION.txt
drwxrwxr-x 2 user group 4096 Oct 8 06:54 webapps/
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ cd demo-base
[demo-base]$ java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar
2013-10-16 09:08:47.800:WARN::main: demo test-realm is deployed. DO NOT USE IN PRODUCTION!
2013-10-16 09:08:47.802:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-{VERSION}
2013-10-16 09:08:47.817:INFO:oejdp.ScanningAppProvider:main: Deployment monitor [file:/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}/demo-base/webapps/] at interval 1
2013-10-16 09:08:48.072:WARN::main: async-rest webapp is deployed. DO NOT USE IN PRODUCTION!
...If you want to see what the Jetty base looks like without executing Jetty, you can simply list the configuration by using the --list-config command.
[demo-base]$ java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar --list-config
Java Environment:
-----------------
java.home=/usr/lib/jvm/jdk-7u21-x64/jre
java.vm.vendor = Oracle Corporation
java.vm.version = 25.92-b14
java.vm.name = Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
java.vm.info = mixed mode
java.runtime.name = Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment
java.runtime.version = 1.8.0_92-b14
java.io.tmpdir = /var/folders/h6/yb_lbnnn11g0y1jjlvqg631h0000gn/T/
user.dir = /home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
user.language = en
user.country = US
Jetty Environment:
-----------------
jetty.home=/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
jetty.tag.version = master
jetty.base=/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}/demo-base
jetty.version={VERSION}
Config Search Order:
--------------------
${jetty.base} -> /home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}/demo-base
${jetty.home} -> /home/user/Desktop/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
JVM Arguments:
--------------
(no jvm args specified)
System Properties:
------------------
jetty.base = /home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}/demo-base
jetty.home = /home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
Properties:
-----------
demo.realm = etc/realm.properties
https.port = 8443
https.timeout = 30000
jaas.login.conf = etc/login.conf
jetty.dump.start = false
jetty.dump.stop = false
jetty.keymanager.password = OBF:1u2u1wml1z7s1z7a1wnl1u2g
jetty.keystore = etc/keystore
jetty.keystore.password = OBF:1vny1zlo1x8e1vnw1vn61x8g1zlu1vn4
jetty.http.port = 8080
jetty.secure.port = 8443
jetty.truststore = etc/keystore
jetty.truststore.password = OBF:1vny1zlo1x8e1vnw1vn61x8g1zlu1vn4
org.eclipse.jetty.websocket.jakarta = false
threads.max = 200
threads.min = 10
threads.timeout = 60000
Jetty Server Classpath:
-----------------------
Version Information on 42 entries in the classpath.
Note: order presented here is how they would appear on the classpath.
changes to the --module=name command line options will be reflected here.
0: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-client-{VERSION}.jar
1: 1.4.1.v201005082020 | ${jetty.base}/lib/ext/javax.mail.glassfish-1.4.1.v201005082020.jar
2: {VERSION} | ${jetty.base}/lib/ext/test-mock-resources-{VERSION}.jar
3: (dir) | ${jetty.home}/resources
4: 3.1.0 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-servlet-api-4.0.2.jar
6: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-http-{VERSION}.jar
7: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-continuation-{VERSION}.jar
8: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-server-{VERSION}.jar
9: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-xml-{VERSION}.jar
10: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-util-{VERSION}.jar
11: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-io-{VERSION}.jar
12: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-jaas-{VERSION}.jar
13: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-jndi-{VERSION}.jar
14: 1.1.0.v201105071233 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jndi/javax.activation-1.1.0.v201105071233.jar
15: 1.4.1.v201005082020 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jndi/javax.mail.glassfish-1.4.1.v201005082020.jar
16: 1.3 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jndi/javax.transaction-api-1.3.jar
17: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-rewrite-{VERSION}.jar
18: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-security-{VERSION}.jar
19: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-servlet-{VERSION}.jar
20: 3.0.0 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/javax.el-3.0.0.jar
21: 1.2.0.v201105211821 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/javax.servlet.jsp.jstl-1.2.0.v201105211821.jar
22: 2.3.2 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/javax.servlet.jsp-2.3.2.jar
23: 2.3.1 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/javax.servlet.jsp-api-2.3.1.jar
24: 2.3.3 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/jetty-jsp-jdt-2.3.3.jar
25: 1.2.0.v201112081803 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/org.apache.taglibs.standard.glassfish-1.2.0.v201112081803.jar
26: 3.8.2.v20130121-145325 | ${jetty.home}/lib/jsp/org.eclipse.jdt.core-3.8.2.v20130121.jar
27: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-plus-{VERSION}.jar
28: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-webapp-{VERSION}.jar
29: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-annotations-{VERSION}.jar
30: 4.1 | ${jetty.home}/lib/annotations/asm-4.1.jar
31: 4.1 | ${jetty.home}/lib/annotations/asm-commons-4.1.jar
32: 1.2 | ${jetty.home}/lib/annotations/javax.annotation-api-1.2.jar
33: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/jetty-deploy-{VERSION}.jar
34: 1.0 | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/javax.websocket-api-1.0.jar
35: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-jakarta-client-{VERSION}.jar
36: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-jakarta-server-{VERSION}.jar
37: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-api-{VERSION}.jar
38: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-client-{VERSION}.jar
39: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-common-{VERSION}.jar
40: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-server-{VERSION}.jar
41: {VERSION} | ${jetty.home}/lib/websocket/websocket-servlet-{VERSION}.jar
Jetty Active XMLs:
------------------
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-webapp.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-plus.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-annotations.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-deploy.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-http.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-ssl.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-ssl-context.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-https.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-jaas.xml
${jetty.home}/etc/jetty-rewrite.xml
${jetty.base}/etc/demo-rewrite-rules.xml
${jetty.base}/etc/test-realm.xmlThe --list-config command line option displays what the configuration will look like when starting Jetty.
This includes information on the Java environment to the system properties, the classpath and the Active Jetty IoC XML used to build up the Jetty server configuration.
Of note, is that the output will make it known where the configuration elements came from, be it in either in ${jetty.home} or ${jetty.base}.
If you look at the ${jetty.base}/start.ini you will see a layout similar to below.
[my-base]$ cat start.ini
# Enable security via jaas, and configure it
--module=jaas
jaas.login.conf=etc/login.conf
# Enable rewrite examples
--module=rewrite
etc/demo-rewrite-rules.xml
# Websocket chat examples needs websocket enabled
# Don't start for all contexts (set to true in test.xml context)
org.eclipse.jetty.websocket.jakarta=false
--module=websocket
# Create and configure the test realm
etc/test-realm.xml
demo.realm=etc/realm.properties
# Initialize module server
--module=server
threads.min=10
threads.max=200
threads.timeout=60000
jetty.dump.start=false
jetty.dump.stop=false
--module=deploy
--module=jsp
--module=ext
--module=resources
--module=client
--module=annotationsIn this example, ${jetty.base}/start.ini is the main startup configuration entry point for Jetty.
You will see that we are enabling a few modules for Jetty, specifying some properties, and also referencing some Jetty IoC XML files (namely the etc/demo-rewrite-rules.xml and etc/test-realm.xml files)
When Jetty’s start.jar resolves the entries in the start.ini, it will follow the resolution rules above.
For example, the reference to etc/demo-rewrite-rules.xml was found in ${jetty.base}/etc/demo-rewrite-rules.xml.
The Jetty distribution’s start.jar is the component that manages the behavior of this separation.
The Jetty start.jar and XML files always assume that both ${jetty.home} and ${jetty.base} are defined when starting Jetty.
You can opt to manually define the ${jetty.home} and ${jetty.base} directories, such as this:
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ pwd
/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ java -jar start.jar \
jetty.home=/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION} \
jetty.base=/home/user/my-base
2013-10-16 09:08:47.802:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-{VERSION}
2013-10-16 09:08:47.817:INFO:oejdp.ScanningAppProvider:main: Deployment monitor [file:/home/user/my-base/webapps/] at interval 1
...Alternately, you can declare one directory and let the other one be discovered.
The following example uses default discovery of ${jetty.home} by using the parent directory of wherever start.jar itself is, and a manual declaration of ${jetty.base}.
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ pwd
/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ java -jar start.jar jetty.base=/home/user/my-base
2013-10-16 09:08:47.802:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-{VERSION}
2013-10-16 09:08:47.817:INFO:oejdp.ScanningAppProvider:main: Deployment monitor [file:/home/user/my-base/webapps/] at interval 1
...But Jetty recommends that you always start Jetty from the directory that is your ${jetty.base} and starting Jetty by referencing
the start.jar in your {$jetty.home} remotely.
The following demonstrates this by allowing default discovery of ${jetty.home} via locating the start.jar, and using the user.dir System Property for ${jetty.base}.
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ pwd
/home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}
[jetty-distribution-{VERSION}]$ cd /home/user/my-base
[my-base]$ java -jar /home/user/jetty-distribution-{VERSION}/start.jar
2013-10-16 09:08:47.802:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-{VERSION}
2013-10-16 09:08:47.817:INFO:oejdp.ScanningAppProvider:main: Deployment monitor [file:/home/user/my-base/webapps/] at interval 1
...
Be aware of the user.dirsystem property, as it can only be safely set when the JVM starts and many 3rd party libraries (especially logging) use this system property. It is strongly recommended that you sit in the directory that is your desired${jetty.base}when starting Jetty to have consistent behavior and use of theuser.dirsystem property.