Apache Tomcat is an open-source web server and servlet container used to run Java applications. It provides a “pure Java” HTTP web server environment and is widely used in web development for deploying Java-based web applications. In this tutorial, we will guide you through installing Apache Tomcat on an Ubuntu 24.04 server and configuring Nginx as a reverse proxy to improve security and scalability.

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Prerequisites

• An active Ubuntu 24.04 server.
• Root or sudo privileges.
• A registered domain (optional, for reverse proxy setup).

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Step 1: Create an Instance on Cloud.shape.host

Step 1.1: Access the Dashboard

1. Log in to Cloud.shape.host.
2. Click Create, and select Instances.

Step 1.2: Choose a Datacenter Location

Choose a datacenter closest to your audience for lower latency, such as New York, London, or Frankfurt.

Step 1.3: Select a Plan

Choose a plan that fits your resource needs: Standard, CPU-Optimized, or Memory-Optimized.

Step 1.4: Select an Operating System

Select Ubuntu 24.04 as your operating system.

Step 1.5: Configure and Launch

1. Set the Network Type and Authentication Method (SSH key or password).
2. Click Create Instance.

Step 1.6: Locate your Instance’s IP

Step 1.7: Access Your Instance

• SSH (for Linux/macOS):

   ssh root@<your-instance-ip>

Replace <your-instance-ip> with the server’s public IP.

• PuTTY (for Windows):
  Download PuTTY, enter the public IP, and click Open.

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Step 2: Update and Upgrade the System

To ensure your server has the latest packages, update and upgrade the system:

apt update -y
apt upgrade -y

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Step 3: Install Java (Default JDK)

Apache Tomcat requires Java to function. Install the default Java Development Kit (JDK):

apt install default-jdk
java --version

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Step 4: Install Apache Tomcat

To install Tomcat and its related components:

apt info tomcat10
apt install tomcat10 tomcat10-common tomcat10-admin tomcat10-user tomcat10-examples

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Step 5: Verify Tomcat Status

Ensure that Tomcat is enabled and running:

systemctl is-enabled tomcat10
systemctl status tomcat10

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Step 6: Check Listening Ports

Check which ports are being used by the server:

ss -tulpn

Lastly, visit http://192.168.5.30:8080/ using your web browser. You will see the Apache Tomcat default index page.

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Step 7: Configure Tomcat Users

To allow access to Tomcat’s web management, create an administrative user:

1. Edit the Tomcat users configuration file:

   nano /etc/tomcat10/tomcat-users.xml

2. Insert the following configuration between <tomcat-users> tags:

   <tomcat-users>
   <!--
   user: admin pass: tomcatadmin
   -->
   <role rolename="manager-gui"/>
   <role rolename="manager-script"/>
   <role rolename="manager-jmx"/>
   <role rolename="manager-status"/>
   <role rolename="admin-gui"/>
   <role rolename="admin-script"/>
   <user username="admin" password="tomcatadmin" roles="manager-gui, manager-script, manager-jmx, manager-status, admin-gui, admin-script"/>
   </tomcat-users>

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Step 8: Enable Remote Access to Manager and Host Manager

By default, remote access to the host-manager and manager web apps is restricted:

1. Edit the host-manager configuration file:

   nano /usr/share/tomcat10-admin/host-manager/META-INF/context.xml

2. Comment out the following line by wrapping it in <!-- ... -->:

   <!--
   <Valve className="org.apache.catalina.valves.RemoteAddrValve"
   allow="127\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+|::1|0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1" />
   -->

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Step 9: Restart Tomcat

After configuring Tomcat, restart the service:

systemctl restart tomcat10

Lastly, visit the following URLs to access Tomcat’s management interfaces:

• Virtual Host Manager: http://192.168.5.30:8080/host-manager/
• Tomcat Manager: http://192.168.5.30:8080/manager/

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Step 10: Install Nginx

Nginx will act as a reverse proxy, handling incoming requests:

apt install nginx -y

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Step 11: Configure Nginx for Tomcat

To configure Nginx to forward requests to Tomcat:

1. Create a new configuration file for Tomcat:

   nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/tomcat10

2. Add the following configuration (replace server_name with your domain):

   server {
    listen 80;
    server_name tutorials.shape.host;
    access_log /var/log/nginx/tomcat-access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/tomcat-error.log;

    location / {
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $host;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Server $host;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
     proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080/;
    }
   }

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Step 12: Enable the Nginx Configuration

Enable the Nginx configuration:

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/tomcat10 /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

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Step 13: Test Nginx Configuration and Restart

Ensure the configuration is correct:

nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx

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Step 14: Verify Nginx Status

Ensure that Nginx is running:

systemctl status nginx

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You have successfully installed Apache Tomcat and configured Nginx as a reverse proxy on Ubuntu 24.04. You can now access your Tomcat application through Nginx for improved security and scalability.

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