Here's a comprehensive tutorial on setting up an Apache Tomcat server:

Setting Up an Apache Tomcat Server: A Step-by-Step Guide

Apache Tomcat is one of the most popular open-source web servers used to run large-scale mission-critical Web applications. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of setting up a Tomcat server on your CentOS 7 machine.

Why Run Tomcat as Root?

Before we begin, it's essential to understand that running Tomcat as the root user is a security risk and does not follow best practices. Instead, we will create a system user for Tomcat to run under. This will ensure better security and compliance with industry standards.

Installing Java

To set up Tomcat, you need to have Java installed on your machine. You can install OpenJDK, an open-source Java Platform implementation, which is the default Java creation and runtime for CentOS 7.

Open a terminal and type the following command:

```bash

~'# yum install java-1.8.0-openjdk-devel

```

Once the installation is complete, update your server using the following command:

```bash

~'# yum update

```

Creating a Tomcat System User

Create a new system user for Tomcat by running the following command:

```bash

sudo useradd -m -s /bin/false tomcat

```

This will create a new user called `tomcat` with a home directory and no shell access.

Deploying the Tomcat Server Instance

Now that you have created a system user for Tomcat, it's time to deploy the Tomcat server instance. You can download the Tomcat software from the official Apache website and extract it to your desired location.

For this tutorial, we will assume that you have extracted the Tomcat software to `/opt/tomcat`.

Configuring the Tomcat Server

Before starting the Tomcat server, you need to configure it by editing the `server.xml` file located in the `/opt/tomcat/conf` directory. This file contains the configuration settings for your Tomcat server.

Update the `server.xml` file to include the following lines:

```xml

connectionTimeout='20000'

redirectPort='8443' />

unpackWARs='true' autoDeploy='true'>

```

Replace `myapp` with the name of your web application.

Starting the Tomcat Server

Once you have configured the Tomcat server, it's time to start it. You can do this by running the following command:

```bash

sudo /opt/tomcat/bin/startup.sh

```

This will start the Tomcat server and make it available on port 8080.

Accessing Your Web Application

To access your web application, open a web browser and navigate to `http://localhost:8080`. You should see your web application running successfully.

In conclusion, setting up an Apache Tomcat server is a straightforward process that requires careful configuration and security measures. By following this tutorial, you have learned how to set up a Tomcat server on your CentOS 7 machine and deploy a web application using it.

Remember to always follow best practices when setting up your servers, including running them under a non-root user account.

Tomcat apache server tutorial