How to run embedded Tomcat 9 inside Maven 3 for integration testing purposes?

Question

I am trying to run embedded Tomcat 9 inside Maven 3 for integration testing purposes. I was led to cargo-maven2-plugin by other SO answers.

So, attempting to follow the instructions found here:

https://codehaus-cargo.github.io/cargo/Static+deployment+of+WAR.html

I have this fragment in a simple POM:

<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.codehaus.cargo</groupId>
            <artifactId>cargo-maven2-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>1.7.6</version>
            <configuration>
                <container>
                    <containerId>tomcat9x</containerId>
                    <type>embedded</type>
                </container>
                <deployables>
                    <deployable>
                        <type>war</type>
                        <properties>
                            <file>path/to/myapp.war</file>
                        </properties>
                    </deployable>
                </deployables>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

Which I try to execute with mvn org.codehaus.cargo:cargo-maven2-plugin:run

It fails with the error:

[INFO] [en2.ContainerRunMojo] Resolved container artifact org.codehaus.cargo:cargo-core-container-tomcat:jar:1.7.6 for container tomcat9x [WARNING] The defined deployable has the same groupId and artifactId as your project's main artifact but the type is different. You've defined a [war] type wher eas the project's packaging is [pom]. This is possibly an error and as a consequence the plugin will try to find this deployable in the project's dependencies.

How can I make this work? I just want to launch the given WAR in an embedded tomcat9, from within Maven.

Answer 1

After trying many permutations, this finally worked for me:

        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.codehaus.cargo</groupId>
            <artifactId>cargo-maven2-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>1.7.9</version>
            <configuration>
                <container>
                    <systemProperties>
                        <myvar1>${myEnvVar}</myvar1>
                        <myvar2>... stuff ...</myvar2>
                    </systemProperties>
                    <containerId>tomcat9x</containerId>
                    <zipUrlInstaller>
                        <url>https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/org/apache/tomcat/tomcat/9.0.29/tomcat-9.0.29.zip</url>
                    </zipUrlInstaller>
                </container>
                <deployables>
                    <deployable>
                        <groupId>org.codehaus.cargo</groupId>
                        <artifactId>simple-war</artifactId>
                        <type>war</type>
                        <location>path/to/myapp.war</location>
                        <properties>
                            <context>myapp</context>
                        </properties>
                    </deployable>
                </deployables>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <id>start-server</id>
                        <phase>pre-integration-test</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>start</goal>
                        </goals>
                    </execution>
                    <execution>
                        <id>stop-server</id>
                        <phase>post-integration-test</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>stop</goal>
                        </goals>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>

Use the failsafe plugin to automatically run the Integration Tests between the start and stop:

            <plugin>
                <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.21.0</version>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>integration-test</goal>
                            <goal>verify</goal>
                        </goals>
                        <configuration>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>