javax.servlet.http
Interface HttpServletRequest

All Superinterfaces:

ServletRequest

All Known Subinterfaces:

CauchoRequest, HttpScriptRequest

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractHttpRequest, CompileRequest, HmuxRequest, HttpPortletRequestDispatcher.HttpPortletRequestWrapper, HttpRequest, HttpServletRequestWrapper, ProxyRule.ProxyRequest, RequestAdapter, SocketPolicyRequest, StubServletRequest

public interface HttpServletRequest
extends ServletRequest

HttpServletRequest encapsulates client request data.

URI

The servlet engine splits the URI into three useful sections: the context path (application prefix), the servlet path, and the path info.

For example, given an application prefix of '/myapp', the api /myapp/dir/test.jsp/data will be split as follows:

/myapp/dir/test.jsp/data	getRequestURI()
/myapp	getContextPath()
/dir/test.jsp	getServletPath()
/data	getPathInfo()

Useful headers

User-Agent

String describing the browser's version

CGI equivalents

AUTH_TYPE	getAuthType()
CONTENT_TYPE	getContentType()
CONTENT_LENGTH	getContentLength()
PATH_INFO	getPathInfo()
PATH_TRANSLATED	getPathTranslated()
QUERY_STRING	getQueryString()
REMOTE_ADDR	getRemoteAddr()
REMOTE_HOST	getRemoteHost()
REMOTE_USER	getRemoteUser()
REQUEST_METHOD	getMethod()
SCRIPT_NAME	getServletPath()
SERVER_NAME	getServerName()
SERVER_PROTOCOL	getProtocol()
SERVER_PORT	getServerPort()

Form data

For form data, see ServletRequest.getParameter()

Field Summary

static java.lang.String	BASIC_AUTH String identifier for basic authentication.
static java.lang.String	CLIENT_CERT_AUTH String identifier for client cert authentication.
static java.lang.String	DIGEST_AUTH String identifier for digest authenciation.
static java.lang.String	FORM_AUTH String identifier for form authenciation.

Method Summary

java.lang.String	getAuthType() Returns the auth type, i.e.
java.lang.String	getContextPath() Returns the part of the URI corresponding to the application's prefix.
Cookie[]	getCookies() Returns an array of all cookies sent by the client.
long	getDateHeader(java.lang.String name) Converts a date header to milliseconds since the epoch.
java.lang.String	getHeader(java.lang.String name) Returns the first value for a request header.
java.util.Enumeration	getHeaderNames() Returns an enumeration of all headers sent by the client.
java.util.Enumeration	getHeaders(java.lang.String name) Returns all the values for a request header.
int	getIntHeader(java.lang.String name) Converts a header value to an integer.
java.lang.String	getMethod() Returns the HTTP method, e.g.
java.lang.String	getPathInfo() Returns the URI part after the selected servlet and null if there is no suffix.
java.lang.String	getPathTranslated() Returns the physical path name for the path info.
java.lang.String	getQueryString() Returns the request's query string.
java.lang.String	getRemoteUser() Returns the remote user if authenticated.
java.lang.String	getRequestedSessionId() Returns the session id.
java.lang.String	getRequestURI() Returns the entire request URI
java.lang.StringBuffer	getRequestURL() Reconstructs the URL the client used for the request.
java.lang.String	getServletPath() Returns the URI part corresponding to the selected servlet.
HttpSession	getSession() Returns the current session, creating one if necessary.
HttpSession	getSession(boolean create) Returns a session.
java.security.Principal	getUserPrincipal() Returns the equivalent principal object for the authenticated user.
boolean	isRequestedSessionIdFromCookie() Returns true if the session came from a cookie.
boolean	isRequestedSessionIdFromUrl() Deprecated.
boolean	isRequestedSessionIdFromURL() Returns true if the session came URL-encoding.
boolean	isRequestedSessionIdValid() Returns true if the session is valid.
boolean	isUserInRole(java.lang.String role) Returns true if the user is in the given role.

Methods inherited from interface javax.servlet.ServletRequest

getAttribute, getAttributeNames, getCharacterEncoding, getContentLength, getContentType, getInputStream, getLocalAddr, getLocale, getLocales, getLocalName, getLocalPort, getParameter, getParameterMap, getParameterNames, getParameterValues, getProtocol, getReader, getRealPath, getRemoteAddr, getRemoteHost, getRemotePort, getRequestDispatcher, getScheme, getServerName, getServerPort, isSecure, removeAttribute, setAttribute, setCharacterEncoding

Field Detail

BASIC_AUTH

static final java.lang.String BASIC_AUTH

String identifier for basic authentication. Value "BASIC".

See Also:

Constant Field Values

CLIENT_CERT_AUTH

static final java.lang.String CLIENT_CERT_AUTH

String identifier for client cert authentication. Value "CLIENT_CERT".

See Also:

Constant Field Values

DIGEST_AUTH

static final java.lang.String DIGEST_AUTH

String identifier for digest authenciation. Value "DIGEST".

See Also:

Constant Field Values

FORM_AUTH

static final java.lang.String FORM_AUTH

String identifier for form authenciation. Value "FORM".

See Also:

Constant Field Values

Method Detail

getMethod

java.lang.String getMethod()

Returns the HTTP method, e.g. "GET" or "POST"

Equivalent to CGI's REQUEST_METHOD

getRequestURI

java.lang.String getRequestURI()

Returns the entire request URI

getRequestURL

java.lang.StringBuffer getRequestURL()

Reconstructs the URL the client used for the request.

Since:

Servlet 2.3

getContextPath

java.lang.String getContextPath()

Returns the part of the URI corresponding to the application's prefix. The first part of the URI selects applications (ServletContexts).

getContextPath() is /myapp for the uri /myapp/servlet/Hello,

getServletPath

java.lang.String getServletPath()

Returns the URI part corresponding to the selected servlet. The URI is relative to the application.

Corresponds to CGI's SCRIPT_NAME getServletPath() is /servlet/Hello for the uri /myapp/servlet/Hello/foo. getServletPath() is /dir/hello.jsp for the uri /myapp/dir/hello.jsp/foo,

getPathInfo

java.lang.String getPathInfo()

Returns the URI part after the selected servlet and null if there is no suffix.

Corresponds to CGI's PATH_INFO

getPathInfo() is /foo for the uri /myapp/servlet/Hello/foo. getPathInfo() is /hello.jsp for for the uri /myapp/dir/hello.jsp/foo.

getPathTranslated

java.lang.String getPathTranslated()

Returns the physical path name for the path info.

Corresponds to CGI's PATH_TRANSLATED

Returns:

null if there is no path info.

getQueryString

java.lang.String getQueryString()

Returns the request's query string. Form based servlets will use ServletRequest.getParameter() to decode the form values.

Corresponds to CGI's PATH_TRANSLATED

getHeader

java.lang.String getHeader(java.lang.String name)

Returns the first value for a request header.

Corresponds to CGI's HTTP_*

 String userAgent = request.getHeader("User-Agent");
 

Parameters:

name - the header name

Returns:

the header value

getHeaders

java.util.Enumeration getHeaders(java.lang.String name)

Returns all the values for a request header. In some rare cases, like cookies, browsers may return multiple headers.

Parameters:

name - the header name

Returns:

an enumeration of the header values.

getHeaderNames

java.util.Enumeration getHeaderNames()

Returns an enumeration of all headers sent by the client.

getIntHeader

int getIntHeader(java.lang.String name)

Converts a header value to an integer.

Parameters:

name - the header name

Returns:

the header value converted to an integer

getDateHeader

long getDateHeader(java.lang.String name)

Converts a date header to milliseconds since the epoch.

 long mod = request.getDateHeader("If-Modified-Since");
 

Parameters:

name - the header name

Returns:

the header value converted to an date

getCookies

Cookie[] getCookies()

Returns an array of all cookies sent by the client.

getSession

HttpSession getSession(boolean create)

Returns a session. If no session exists and create is true, then create a new session, otherwise return null.

Parameters:

create - If true, then create a new session if none exists.

getSession

HttpSession getSession()

Returns the current session, creating one if necessary. Sessions are a convenience for keeping user state across requests.

getRequestedSessionId

java.lang.String getRequestedSessionId()

Returns the session id. Sessions are a convenience for keeping user state across requests.

The session id is the value of the JSESSION cookie.

isRequestedSessionIdValid

boolean isRequestedSessionIdValid()

Returns true if the session is valid.

isRequestedSessionIdFromCookie

boolean isRequestedSessionIdFromCookie()

Returns true if the session came from a cookie.

isRequestedSessionIdFromURL

boolean isRequestedSessionIdFromURL()

Returns true if the session came URL-encoding.

getAuthType

java.lang.String getAuthType()

Returns the auth type, i.e. BASIC, CLIENT-CERT, DIGEST, or FORM.

getRemoteUser

java.lang.String getRemoteUser()

Returns the remote user if authenticated.

isUserInRole

boolean isUserInRole(java.lang.String role)

Returns true if the user is in the given role.

getUserPrincipal

java.security.Principal getUserPrincipal()

Returns the equivalent principal object for the authenticated user.

isRequestedSessionIdFromUrl

boolean isRequestedSessionIdFromUrl()

Deprecated.