The web.xml Configuration File

• When a web application is loaded into a container, its WEB-INF/web.xml file is checked for application meta-data such as:
  • Default pages to show,
  • Servlets to load, and
  • Security restrictions to place on files.
• A web.xml file has one top-level XML element:

  <web-app xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee"
           version="2.4">
  ...
  </web-app>  

  with configuration elements placed in its scope.