How to Set Up Apache Tomcat on Your VPS

How to Set Up Apache Tomcat on Your VPS

Setting up Apache Tomcat on your VPS is an essential step for running Java web applications. This guide will walk you through the process, starting from installation to configuration.

Step 1: Connect to Your VPS

To begin, you need to access your VPS. Use an SSH client like PuTTY (for Windows) or Terminal (for macOS/Linux) to connect to your VPS.

• Open your SSH client.
• Enter the IP address of your VPS and the SSH port (usually 22).
• Log in with your root credentials.

Once logged in, you will have full access to your VPS.

Step 2: Update Your VPS

Before installing any software, it's a good idea to update your VPS to ensure all system packages are up to date.

• Run the following command to update your system:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  

This will update all existing packages on your VPS to their latest versions.

Step 3: Install Java Development Kit (JDK)

Apache Tomcat requires Java to run, so you'll need to install a compatible version of the Java Development Kit (JDK).

• To install OpenJDK 11, run the following command:

  sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk -y
  

• After installation, check if Java is successfully installed by running:

  java -version
  

This should display the version of Java installed on your VPS.

Step 4: Download Apache Tomcat

Now that Java is installed, you can download Apache Tomcat.

• Go to the official Tomcat website or use the following command to download the latest stable version of Apache Tomcat:

  wget https://downloads.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-9/v9.0.62/bin/apache-tomcat-9.0.62.tar.gz
  

• Once the download is complete, extract the Tomcat archive:

  tar -xzvf apache-tomcat-9.0.62.tar.gz
  

This will extract the files into a folder named apache-tomcat-9.0.62.

Step 5: Move Tomcat to the Proper Directory

To make it easier to manage Tomcat, it's best to move the extracted files to a location such as /opt.

• Move the extracted Tomcat folder:

  sudo mv apache-tomcat-9.0.62 /opt/tomcat
  

• Change the ownership of the directory to ensure the user has full control:

  sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/tomcat
  

Step 6: Configure Tomcat Environment Variables

To simplify running Tomcat, you should set up environment variables for Tomcat.

• Open the ~/.bashrc file for editing:

  nano ~/.bashrc
  

• Add the following lines to the end of the file:

  export CATALINA_HOME=/opt/tomcat
  

• Save the file and then reload the bash profile:

  source ~/.bashrc
  

Step 7: Start Apache Tomcat

Now that the installation is complete, it's time to start Tomcat.

• To start Tomcat, run the following command:

  /opt/tomcat/bin/startup.sh
  

• You should see a message indicating that Tomcat has started successfully.

Step 8: Access Apache Tomcat Web Interface

You can now access the Tomcat web interface through your web browser.

• Open your browser and go to:

  http://<your-vps-ip>:8080
  

• If everything is configured correctly, you will see the Tomcat welcome page.

Step 9: Set Up Tomcat as a Service (Optional)

To ensure Apache Tomcat starts automatically when your VPS reboots, you can set it up as a service.

• Create a new service file for Tomcat:

  sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service
  

• Add the following content to the file:

  [Unit]
  Description=Apache Tomcat Web Application Container
  After=network.target
  
  [Service]
  Type=forking
  ExecStart=/opt/tomcat/bin/startup.sh
  ExecStop=/opt/tomcat/bin/shutdown.sh
  User=$USER
  Group=$USER
  UMask=0007
  RestartSec=10
  Restart=always
  
  [Install]
  WantedBy=multi-user.target
  

• Reload the systemd manager to apply the changes:

  sudo systemctl daemon-reload
  

• Enable Tomcat to start on boot:

  sudo systemctl enable tomcat
  

• Start the Tomcat service:

  sudo systemctl start tomcat
  

Step 10: Test the Service

Finally, verify that Apache Tomcat is running as a service.

• Check the status of Tomcat:

  sudo systemctl status tomcat
  

If Tomcat is running correctly, you will see an active status.

With these steps completed, Apache Tomcat is successfully installed and running on your VPS. You can now deploy Java applications or manage your server as needed.