Debugging a Java Web App using Tomcat and Visual Studio Code

Project Configuration

Setting	Value
Purpose	Debug a Java web app using Tomcat and VS Code
Server	Apache Tomcat
Server Language	Java
Architecture	Maven
IDE	Visual Studio Code
License	GPL v3
Tutorial	[Youtube Tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9mugpHWr14

Visual Studio Code Extensions

This project uses Java, Tomcat and Maven. Install the Java Extension pack to get the Java features needed. And Install the Tomcat for Java extension too.

Install Java Extension Pack
Install Tomcat for Java

Apache Tomcat

Download the Apache Tomcat binaries and save them into a memorable directory.

Dial up Apache Tomcat latest Downloads. Select the latest version to download.
Find and download the latest Core Zip.
Unzip the server into your memorable directory. I put it in ~/servers/tomcat/apache-tomcat-x.x.xx.
In VS Code, file explorer, at the bottom under Tomcat Servers, add the server by and point to the ~/servers/tomcat/apache-tomcat-x.x.xx directory.

Init Reference

Generate a Web App

I created a Maven architecture web app project. It's much easier to manage the dependencies and build instructions for the IDE and CI systems with something like Maven.

Run this to generate a maven web app project.

mvn org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-archetype-plugin:3.1.2:generate -DarchetypeArtifactId="maven-archetype-webapp" -DarchetypeGroupId="org.apache.maven.archetypes" -DarchetypeVersion="1.4"

Add the default Java source directory ./src/main/java
Add the initial package directory. For example com.brandondonnelson would become ./src/main/java/com/brandondonnelson