JSP taglib Directive

JSP allows you to create your own custom JSP tags. The JSP taglib directive allows you specify these custom tags in your JSP page and use them.

Syntax of taglib Directive

<%@ taglib uri = "uri of tag library(tld) file"  prefix = "unique custom tag name" %>

uri is the location of your Tag Description Library(.tld) file.
prefix is any unique name of your choice which is used to refer to your custom tag.

taglib Directive Example

SimpleTagSupport

C:\apache-tomcat-9.0.2\webapps\ROOT\WEB-INF

Tag1.java

//Creating a custom tag by extending SimpleTagSupport class.

package myCustomTag;

import java.io.*;
import javax.servlet.jsp.JspContext;
import javax.servlet.jsp.JspWriter;
import javax.servlet.jsp.JspException;
import javax.servlet.jsp.tagext.SimpleTagSupport;

public class Tag1 extends SimpleTagSupport
{

public void doTag() throws JspException, IOException
{
	//Calling getJspContext() method of SimpleTagSupport class to retreive JspContext object.
	JspContext jspCon = getJspContext();
	
	//Using JspContext objext to call its method getOut() to retreive JspWriter object.
	JspWriter out = jspCon.getOut();
	
	//Using JspWriter object to print a message from Custom Tag to the web page.
	out.println("Greetings from Custom Tag!");
}

}

How to compile Tag1.java

In order to compile the custom tag file - Tag1.java, make sure you've added the path to jsp-api.jar file(found in C:\apache-tomcat-9.0.2\lib) to the classpath of your System Variables.

Make sure the compiled file of Tag1.java i.e. Tag1.class, should be stored in WEB-INF/class directory, by entering the following command at command prompt from within WEB-INF directory -

C:\apache-tomcat-9.0.2\webapps\ROOT\WEB-INF>javac -d ./classes Tag1.java

Creating a Tag Library Descriptor File

Tag Library Descriptor(TLD) File

.tld

C:\apache-tomcat-9.0.2\webapps\ROOT\WEB-INF

Tag Library Descriptor File

CustomTag.tld

<taglib>

<tlib-version>1.0</tlib-version>
<jsp-version>2.0</jsp-version>
<short-name>tags</short-name>

<tag>
	<name>BlueSky</name>
	<tag-class>myCustomTag.Tag1<tag-class>
	<body-content>empty</body-content>
</tag>

</taglib>

taglib

BlueSky

TaglibExample.jsp

<html>

<head>
<title>Displaying Custom Tag using taglib directive</title>
</head>


<%@ taglib uri ="WEB-INF/CustomTag.tld" prefix="MyTag" %>>


<body>

<MyTag:BlueSky/>

</body>

</html>

We have given prefix the name - "MyTag" and
uri is given the value of location of tag library(tld) file i.e. "WEB-INF/CustomTag.tld"

BlueSky

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