How to pass parameters to a servlet – ServletConfig

Here’s a serlvet code example to demonstrate how to pass a parameter to a servlet by using ServletConfig “init-param” in web.xml

In the deployment descriptor (web.xml)

Put your parameter value in “init-param” and make sure inside the “servlet” element

        <servlet>
		<servlet-name>ServletName</servlet-name>
		<servlet-class>com.mkyong.ServletDemo</servlet-class>
 
		<init-param>
			<param-name>email</param-name>
			<param-value>admin@email.com</param-value>
		</init-param>
	</servlet>
 
	<servlet-mapping>
		<servlet-name>ServletName</servlet-name>
		<url-pattern>/Demo</url-pattern>
	</servlet-mapping>

Servlet code

public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
	throws IOException{
 
		PrintWriter pw = response.getWriter();
		pw.println(getServletConfig().getInitParameter("email"));
 
	}

The “getServletConfig().getInitParameter(“email”)” method is use to get the ServletConfig parameter value in web.xml. Btw, this parameter only available for this servlet only. If you want a parameter which allow globally access by whole web application, you need put the parameter in servlet context element.

Here’s an example to pass parameter to whole web application.