On the fly LESS compiler for java web app?

Question

I am looking for a way to compile CSS LESS files on the server side on demand during development. For example if the browser makes a request to /assets/css/foo.css I want the se

Answer 1

It would be simpler (and more effective) to first compile your less files to css files, during the build of your webapp.
As an example, when using Maven, we use the lesscss-maven-plugin (compile goal, process-sources phase) to generate css files from less files. Then only the css files are used and packaged in the webapp. No less files are used dynamically.
Another advantage is that less files are compiled before the webapp is deployed, so compilation errors are detected sooner.

Configuration example in pom.xml :

    org.lesscss
    lesscss-maven-plugin
    1.3.0
    
        ${project.basedir}/src/main/webapp/less
        ${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}/css
        true
        
            main.less
        
    
    
        
            
                compile