java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lorg/apache/logging/log4j/Logger; but the artifact exists

Question

I'm using Tomcat to deploy a java webapp.

I get a very long stacktrace, in short:

GRAVE: A child container failed during start
java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException: org.apache.catalina.LifecycleException: Failed to start component [StandardEngine[Catalina].StandardHost[localhost].StandardContext[/new-webapp]]
[...]
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lorg/apache/logging/log4j/Logger;
    at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields0(Native Method)
    at java.lang.Class.privateGetDeclaredFields(Class.java:2509)
    at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields(Class.java:1819)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.Introspection.getDeclaredFields(Introspection.java:106)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.WebAnnotationSet.loadFieldsAnnotation(WebAnnotationSet.java:256)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.WebAnnotationSet.loadApplicationFilterAnnotations(WebAnnotationSet.java:105)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.WebAnnotationSet.loadApplicationAnnotations(WebAnnotationSet.java:64)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.ContextConfig.applicationAnnotationsConfig(ContextConfig.java:335)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.ContextConfig.configureStart(ContextConfig.java:782)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.ContextConfig.lifecycleEvent(ContextConfig.java:306)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleSupport.fireLifecycleEvent(LifecycleSupport.java:95)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.fireLifecycleEvent(LifecycleBase.java:90)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5150)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:147)
    ... 6 more
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoaderBase.loadClass(WebappClassLoaderBase.java:1305)
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoaderBase.loadClass(WebappClassLoaderBase.java:1139)
    ... 20 more
[...]

Now, the error is pretty clear. For some reason, the log4j bundle is not in the classpath.

The application is a maven webapp, and the pom.xml is like this:

<project 
    xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    <groupId>com.wb</groupId>
    <artifactId>new-webapp</artifactId>
    <packaging>war</packaging>
    <version>0.0.1</version>
    <properties>
        <log4j.version>2.5</log4j.version>
    </properties>

    <dependencies>
    [...]
        <!-- Logging -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>log4j-api</artifactId>
            <version>${log4j.version}</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>log4j-core</artifactId>
            <version>${log4j.version}</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>log4j-web</artifactId>
            <version>${log4j.version}</version>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>
    [...]
</project>

If I go to the project properties, under Libraries->Maven Dependencies I see this:

Libraries were found, downloaded and they are in the classpath.

I also tried to open a java class inside my project and declare

org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger Logger;

No errors, the Logger interface is found.

What's going on here? Why does Tomcat fail to start even if libraries are in the classpath?

---

Edit - this is the log4j configuration file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Configuration status="INFO">
    <Appenders>
        <Console name="Console" target="SYSTEM_OUT">
            <PatternLayout pattern="%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n" />
        </Console>
    </Appenders>
    <Loggers>
        <Root level="INFO">
            <AppenderRef ref="Console" />
        </Root>
    </Loggers>
</Configuration>

Answer 1

By the description you've made, I assume you are working with Eclipse.

Well, you'd better go to Project properties -> Deployment assembly and ensure that the maven dependencies entry is included.

I've experimented often that this configuration gets missed whenever you execute Maven -> Update Project.

Answer 2

I'm working with Eclipse and I had same problem every time I made changes in my pom.xml. I don't know why but Eclipse delete the Maven Dependencies.

Solution: rigth click on project, select Properties, choose Deployment Assembly and verify in column "Source" a row called "Maven Dependencies". If it isn't there, click on Add..., Java Build Path Entries and click on Maven Dependencies. Finally Apply and close.