Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: javax/servlet/ServletContext

Question

I am trying to setup the Junit test with the MockMVC.

From this link - \"either must not use the Servlet API or you need to provide it on the classpath\".

I

Answer 1

It is a common issue. As Aniket Thakur said, the container will provide all Java servlet classes at runtime. But during the tests you need a jar to provide them.

The dependency you added to your pom is only the API : it declares everything but contains no implementation. So it will not help. Anyway, you declare it as "provided" which says to maven "don't worry, I know it will be on classpath".

You have to add a dependency that bring the implementation of all Java EE classes in test scope. In my projects I use glassfish even if I later use tomcat as a servlet container, but I once found the dependency googling for the same problem :

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.glassfish</groupId>
    <artifactId>javax.servlet</artifactId>
    <version>3.0</version>
    <scope>test</scope>
</dependency>

It should solve your NoClassDefFoundError problem.

Answer 2

Class is not found at runtime but is available at compile time. You need to add the corresponding jar so that it can be found at runtime. I generally use Ivy and in Eclipse I do

Project -> Properties ->Deployment Assembly -> Add -> java Build Path Enteries -> Ivy -> Finish

There must be something similar for Maven as well.

Also you need javax.servlet-api only during compile time as the container you are using to run the server will provide the actual APIs at runtime.