How do you specify a default error page in your web.xml file?

Question

Options

• A<on-error><location>/general-error.html<location></on-error>
• B<error-page><error-code>*</error-code><location>/general-error.html</location></error-page>
• C<on-error><error-code>*</error-code><location>/general-error.html</location></on-error>
• D<error-page><location>/general-error.html</location></error-page>

• A
  3% (1)
• B
  90% (36)
• C
  3% (1)
• D
  5% (2)

Explanation

Option B uses the correct <error-page> element defined in the Servlet specification, paired with <error-code>*</error-code> as a wildcard to catch all HTTP error codes, and <location> to specify the error page path - together these form a valid catch-all default error page entry. Options A and C both use <on-error>, which is entirely fictional and not part of the web.xml DTD/schema - if you see <on-error> on an exam, eliminate it immediately. Option D is close but invalid because <error-page> requires either an <error-code> or <exception-type> child element to be well-formed per the spec; a bare <location> alone is insufficient.

Memory tip: Think "EPE-L" - <error-page> wraps either <error-code> or <exception-type>, then <location>. The wildcard * on the error code makes it the default. Any answer using <on-error> is a trap - that tag does not exist in web.xml.

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