What Is the Struts Framework?

The Struts Framework is a standard for developing well-architected Web applications. It has the following features:

• Open source
• Based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design paradigm, distinctly separating all three levels:
• 
  
  • Model: application state
  • View: presentation of data (JSP, HTML)
  • Controller: routing of the application flow
• Implements the JSP Model 2 Architecture
• Stores application routing information and request mapping in a single core file, struts-config.xml

The Struts Framework, itself, only fills in the View and Controller layers. The Model layer is left to the developer.

The diagram below describes the flow in more detail:

1. User clicks on a link in an HTML page.
2. Servlet controller receives the request, looks up mapping information in struts-config.xml, and routes to an action.
3. Action makes a call to a Model layer service.
4. Service makes a call to the Data layer (database) and the requested data is returned.
5. Service returns to the action.
6. Action forwards to a View resource (JSP page)
7. Servlet looks up the mapping for the requested resource and forwards to the appropriate JSP page.
8. JSP file is invoked and sent to the browser as HTML.
9. User is presented with a new HTML page in a web browser.

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