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Introduction to Spring 5, Spring MVC, and Spring REST (2022): Lab Setup Instructions (Windows OS - Java 11, IntelliJ, Tomcat 9)

Below are the standard requirements for this course. If you have any questions or issues, please contact us.

Important Note: Student lab files are required on each computer used for the course. The links for these are not in this lab setup, and you should receive them separately.

Other notes:

  • It’s a good idea to keep downloaded software install files on the machines during the class in case of problems that require a re-install.
  • Cloning a setup is generally not a problem. If it is, we’ll mention it in the software section (for example, much of the IBM/RAD-WAS software can be problematic in this regard).

Hardware and classroom setup.

Each student and the instructor shall have a workstation that fulfills the listed requirements.

  • Required: Intel-compatible processor (with reasonably recent hardware).
  • Memory: 8GB min recommended
  • Disk Space: Free disk space for software installs (generally minimum 2GB)
  • Operating System: Windows OS (Any modern version - e.g. Windows 10. - labs have not been tested on Windows 8 variants)
  • Required: Zip utility. A good free one is 7-zip
  • Required: Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Required: One of Firefox browser (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) or Chrome browser (https://www.google.com/chrome/). Edge browser is not sufficient.
  • Recommended: Internet access
  • Recommended: Class machines networked together - allows students to access a shared network directory.

Install 7-zip 

We’ve found that there are sometimes problems using the built in Windows archive/zip utility. This generally has to do with long path lengths that it can’t handle. Use 7-zip to extract the labs and any software zips which we’ve found very reliable.

  • Can try direct download link for 64-bit install: https://www.7-zip.org/a/7z2301-x64.exe
  • If that doesn’t work, go to home page https://www.7-zip.org
  • Near the top of the page, find the download link for your bitness (probably 64 bit), and download the installer.
  • Execute the installer, and take all the defaults.
  • You can now extract zip files by right clicking on them, and selecting 7-Zip | Extract ...

Lab Files: Each student and instructor must have lab files installed (links to these files are generally sent separately via e-mail).

  • Extract the lab files to a location conveniently accessible to the student (e.g. C:\ )
  • Recommend using utility like 7-zip, not Windows built-in extractor.
  • If using folder other than C:\, make sure that students know where they are.

Other instructor requirements for the classroom

  • Projector or large screen TV capable of 1280x800 or higher resolution. Instructor must be able to use this to project slides.
  • Whiteboard (preferred) or flip charts with markers.

Install Java Development Kit – JDK 11 (11.0.21)

  • Note that any JDK 11 version should work fine. Other close (later) Java versions (e.g. Java 12 or 13) should be fine also, but have not been tested.
  • Download:
  • From https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/jdk11-archive-downloads.html download the installer file for the Windows x64 Installer
    • File name is something like: jdk-11.0.21_windows-x64_bin

  • Run the installer and take all defaults.

  • Create or modify environment variables. This will add an environment variable JAVA_HOME, and modify your path to include the jdk bin folder. For windows set the following.
    • JAVA_HOME:
      • Navigate to the System Properties widget > click the Advanced tab > click the Environment Variables button
      • In the bottom half of the dialog, click New to add a new System variable
      • Variable name: JAVA_HOME (this is case-sensitive)
      • Variable value: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.21 (or adjust to the actual path for your JDK version and where you installed the JDK – please double-check this path – probably best to copy and paste it)
      • Click OK
    • Path:
      • Find this existing entry in the bottom half of the Environment Variables button, and click Edit
      • Click in the Variable value field and move your cursor all the way to the left (pressing Home on your keyboard should do this quickly for you)
      • Check whether the value below is already present, or add it at the beginning if necessary (make sure you get all of this, including the trailing semicolon, with no spaces):

        %JAVA_HOME%\bin;
         
    • Click OK repeatedly (likely in 3 different dialogs) until all the dialogs close.

  • Open a terminal prompt, type the below, and press Enter

    javac -version

  • You should get a message that tells you the version. If the command is not found, you did something wrong.
  • Close the terminal prompt. You’re done installing Java

Install IntelliJ IDEA Community (2023 versions)

Instructions are for Version 2023.1. Any 2023.x version should work, but if you can easily do so, use 2023.1. IntelliJ sometimes changes it's IDE interface, and if the version used differs from what the lab instructions were written to, this may be confusing to students (but not a deal breaker)

NOTE: IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate will also work fine, if you are using that, but it's not needed.

Download

Install

  • Execute the installer program (named something like ideaIC-2023.1.exe)
  • Take all the defaults when installing
  • Nothing else needs to be done to install IntelliJ

Install Tomcat 9.0

  • Download: From https://tomcat.apache.org/download-90.cgi go to the Binary distributions section for Tomcat 9.0 and download the zip file
    • Go to the link with label zip: in the section labeled Core:
    • The filename will be something like apache-tomcat-9.0.78.zip
    • Save the file where you can access it easily
       
  • Extract: Extract the zip file where students can access and run it easily.
    • Windows OS: Common location is C:\
    • Mac OS: Common location is user home directory.
       
  • That’s all that needs to be done to install Tomcat.