Could not resolve view with name 'forward:/index.html' in servlet with name 'dispatcherServlet'

Question

I am trying to implement and app that would use Spring Boot and React.

My project structure looks like this

hero-journey-web\
    src\main\java\...\
                      WebMvcConfig.java
                      HeroJourneyWebApplication.java
            \resources\public\index.html
                       application.properties

My HeroJourneyWebApplication class looks like this

@EnableWebMvc
@SpringBootApplication
public class HeroJourneyWebApplication {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(HeroJourneyWebApplication.class, args);
    }
}

My WebMvcConfig class looks like this

@Configuration
public class WebMvcConfig implements WebMvcConfigurer {
    @Override
    public void addResourceHandlers(ResourceHandlerRegistry registry) {
        registry.addResourceHandler("/ui/**").addResourceLocations("classpath:/META-INF/resources/ui/");
        registry.addResourceHandler("/**").addResourceLocations("classpath:/public/");
    }

    @Override
    public void addViewControllers(ViewControllerRegistry registry) {
        registry.addViewController("/").setViewName("forward:/index.html");
    }
}

But when I try to access localhost:8080/ (I provided login and password for spring security) I get this error

javax.servlet.ServletException: Could not resolve view with name 'forward:/index.html' in servlet with name 'dispatcherServlet'
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.render(DispatcherServlet.java:1305) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.processDispatchResult(DispatcherServlet.java:1069) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1008) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:925) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:978) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:870) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:635) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:855) ~[spring-webmvc-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:742) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:231) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52) ~[tomcat-embed-websocket-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.springframework.boot.actuate.trace.WebRequestTraceFilter.doFilterInternal(WebRequestTraceFilter.java:119) ~[spring-boot-actuator-2.0.0.M5.jar!/:2.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:317) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:127) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:91) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:114) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:137) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:111) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:170) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:63) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.www.BasicAuthenticationFilter.doFilterInternal(BasicAuthenticationFilter.java:158) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.ui.DefaultLoginPageGeneratingFilter.doFilter(DefaultLoginPageGeneratingFilter.java:188) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:200) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:116) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:64) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:105) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:56) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:214) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:177) ~[spring-security-web-5.0.0.M5.jar!/:5.0.0.M5]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:357) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:270) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:200) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-5.0.0.RELEASE.jar!/:5.0.0.RELEASE]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:199) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:96) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:478) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:140) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:81) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:87) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:342) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:803) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:66) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:868) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1459) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source) [na:na]
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source) [na:na]
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.23.jar!/:8.5.23]
        at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) [na:na]

What is the problem?

Answer 1

You have two conflicting paths registered in the "WebMVCConfig.java".

This tells your app that every request should be forwarded to the "public" classpath folder.

registry.addResourceHandler("/**").addResourceLocations("classpath:/public/");

But this next one says that you have controlled views (templates etc) using the path "/index.html".

registry.addViewController("/").setViewName("forward:/index.html");

The view controller is assuming you are using a templateing engine, since that is the only reason to use a view controller. If all of your html content is static, then just keep it all in the public resource folders and do not add a view controller for it.

If you also have that application serving a restful api, then make sure all api calls go to a separate path, such as "/api/v1" or similar.

And lastly, put the "/ui/**" path resource handler registration last so that the "/**" path does not overwrite it or just remove "/**".

Example:

package com.lapots.breed.hero.journey.web;

import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.config.annotation.ResourceHandlerRegistry;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.config.annotation.WebMvcConfigurer;

@Configuration
public class WebMvcConfig implements WebMvcConfigurer{

    @Override
    public void addResourceHandlers(ResourceHandlerRegistry registry){

        registry.addResourceHandler("/ui/**").addResourceLocations("classpath:/META-INF/resources/ui/");
    }
}

Structure:

/hero-journey-web
    /src/main
            /java
                  <!-- lemony snippet -->
            /resources
                /public/index.html
                /application.properties

Checkout this example of serving static content and a restful api from the same application.

https://github.com/Pytry/bootiful-war-deployment/tree/master/hello-static