1.1. Downloading Struts
Problem
You want to start developing applications using Struts.
Solution
Download the Struts binary and source distributions from http://struts.apache.org/acquiring.html and deploy the example applications to your web container.
Discussion
A common question among developers new to Struts is which release to use. Without question, any new Struts project should use the latest best available release. At the time this was written, Struts 1.2.4 (referred to in this book as Struts 1.2) had just gone GA (General Availability).
Tip
For developers looking to gain experience with the latest and greatest Struts features, the Struts Nightly Build will provide a peek into Struts 1.3.
You will find it useful to have the binary and source distributions available. The binary distribution includes the Struts JARs and associated dependent JARs. The source distribution, on the other hand, contains the source code for the Struts framework itself, as well as the Java source for the Struts tag libraries. Just as important, the source distribution contains the Java source, deployment descriptors, HTML pages, and JSP pages for all of the supplied sample applications.
Tip
The exact content of these distributions varies depending on whether you are getting the latest Release Build or the Struts Nightly Build.
The Struts 1.2 Release Build binary distribution includes a basic README file, an installation document, and release notes. The lib folder contains the Struts JAR file, as well as ...