Unveiling the Mystery: Resolving 404 Errors for Static Resources in Jersey

When mapping Jersey's url-pattern to / in the 2.0 release, users often encounter the perplexing dilemma of 404 errors for static resources like index.html. This is primarily due to the fact that Jersey's / mapping intercepts all incoming requests, leaving no room for the web container to serve static content.

Embracing the Filter: A Path to Serving Static Content

To resolve this issue, we delve into the realm of filters, particularly com.sun.jersey.spi.container.servlet.ServletContainer for Jersey 1.x. By replacing the servlet XML configuration with a filter configuration, we establish a filter-mapping that delegates all incoming requests to Jersey. However, we also introduce a custom init-param named "com.sun.jersey.config.property.WebPageContentRegex" with a value "/.*html". This parameter serves as a regular expression that determines which file extensions will be excluded from Jersey's handling and instead served as static content.

Engaging with Jersey 2.x: A Refined Approach

The transition to Jersey 2.x prompts a slight adaptation in the filter configuration. While the approach remains largely the same, the property names undergo changes. The "jersey.config.server.provider.packages" init-param identifies the package(s) containing resource classes, while "jersey.config.servlet.filter.staticContentRegex" assumes the responsibility of defining the regular expression for excluding specific file extensions from Jersey's purview.

Additional Considerations for a Seamless Static Content Flow

To facilitate the seamless serving of static content, consider the following recommendations:

1. Customize the regular expression in the filter's init-param to accommodate additional file extensions (e.g., .css, .jsp) as needed.
2. Explore the option of utilizing a versioned path (/v1/*) for your RESTful services. This approach enables static content to be served without the need for filter configuration.