Demystifying the Error: Launching HTTPS on Tomcat Port 8443 – A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you struggling to launch HTTPS on Tomcat Port 8443, only to be met with the frustrating error message “requires the APR/native library which is not available”? Fear not, dear developer! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of resolving this issue and getting your Tomcat server up and running with HTTPS.

What is the APR/native library?

The APR/native library is a crucial component for running Tomcat with HTTPS on non-Windows platforms (e.g., Linux, macOS). APR stands for Apache Portable Runtime, which provides a set of APIs for basic operations like file I/O, networking, and more. The APR/native library is a native implementation of these APIs, designed to improve performance and scalability.

The Problem: “requires the APR/native library which is not available”

When you attempt to launch Tomcat with HTTPS on Port 8443 without the APR/native library, you’ll encounter the error message “requires the APR/native library which is not available”. This is because Tomcat relies on the APR/native library to handle HTTPS connections. Without it, Tomcat cannot establish a secure connection, resulting in the error.

Solution: Installing the APR/native library

The solution is straightforward: install the APR/native library on your system. Here are the step-by-step instructions:

For Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libapr1 libtcnative-1

For RHEL-based systems:

sudo yum install apr
sudo yum install tomcat-native

For macOS (using Homebrew):

brew install apr
brew link apr --force

Once you’ve installed the APR/native library, restart your Tomcat server to ensure the changes take effect.

Configuring Tomcat for HTTPS on Port 8443

Now that the APR/native library is installed, let’s configure Tomcat to use HTTPS on Port 8443:

Step 1: Create a keystore

A keystore is a file that contains the SSL/TLS certificates and private keys required for HTTPS. You can create a keystore using Java’s built-in keytool command:

keytool -genkey -alias tomcat -keyalg RSA -keystore tomcat.keystore

Follow the prompts to provide the necessary information, such as the keystore password, organization, and country.

Step 2: Configure server.xml

Edit the `server.xml` file in your Tomcat configuration directory (usually `CATALINA_BASE/conf/` or `CATALINA_HOME/conf/`) to include the following lines:

<Server>
  <Service name="Catalina">
    <Connector port="8443" protocol="org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProtocol"
               maxThreads="150" SSLEnabled="true" scheme="https" secure="true"
               clientAuth="false" sslProtocol="TLS" keystoreFile="tomcat.keystore"
               keystorePass="your_keystore_password" />
  </Service>
</Server>

Replace `your_keystore_password` with the password you created for your keystore.

Step 3: Restart Tomcat

Restart your Tomcat server to apply the changes:

sudo service tomcat restart

Testing HTTPS on Port 8443

Open a web browser and navigate to `https://localhost:8443`. You should see the Tomcat default page or your application’s homepage, indicating that HTTPS is working correctly.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues during the process, refer to the following troubleshooting tips:

Error: “keystore was tampered with, or password was incorrect”

• Double-check your keystore password and ensure it matches the one specified in `server.xml`.
• Verify that the keystore file is in the correct location and has the correct permissions.

Error: “No apr-native library available”

• Verify that the APR/native library is installed correctly and the installation path is correct.
• Check if the `tomcat-native` package is installed and enabled.

Conclusion

With the APR/native library installed and Tomcat configured for HTTPS on Port 8443, you should now be able to run your Tomcat server securely. Remember to update your `server.xml` configuration and restart Tomcat after making changes. If you encounter any issues, refer to the troubleshooting section or seek further assistance.

System	APR/native Library Installation
Ubuntu-based	sudo apt-get install libapr1 libtcnative-1
RHEL-based	sudo yum install apr and sudo yum install tomcat-native
macOS (Homebrew)	brew install apr and brew link apr --force

By following this comprehensive guide, you should now be able to overcome the “requires the APR/native library which is not available” error and launch HTTPS on Tomcat Port 8443 successfully.

Remember to bookmark this article for future reference, and don’t hesitate to share it with your fellow developers who may be struggling with the same issue.

1. What is the APR/native library?
2. The Problem: “requires the APR/native library which is not available”
3. Solution: Installing the APR/native library
4. Configuring Tomcat for HTTPS on Port 8443
5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
6. Conclusion

Frequently Asked Question

Get the scoop on launching https on Tomcat Port 8443 and troubleshoot the pesky “requires the APR/native library which is not available” error!