If you are working on a web application based on spring which requires use of org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener
in web.xml file and you are getting this exception when you start the server. This exception is more likely when you are working on eclipse or possibly on other such IDE.
Exception log trace will look like this:
May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart SEVERE: Error configuring application listener of class org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1714) at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1559) at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClass(DefaultInstanceManager.java:532) at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClassMaybePrivileged(DefaultInstanceManager.java:514) at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.newInstance(DefaultInstanceManager.java:133) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4727) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5285) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1559) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1549) at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask$Sync.innerRun(Unknown Source) at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source) at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source) at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source) at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart SEVERE: Skipped installing application listeners due to previous error(s) May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal SEVERE: Error listenerStart May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal SEVERE: Context [/Spring4Struts2HibernateIntegration] startup failed due to previous errors May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol start INFO: Starting ProtocolHandler ["http-bio-8080"] May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol start INFO: Starting ProtocolHandler ["ajp-bio-8009"] May 15, 2014 12:16:20 AM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina start INFO: Server startup in 365 ms
Solution
Reason 1)
Possibly you have not added the spring web dependencies in your project. Just add them if you have not.
Reason 2)
If you are still getting this exception then you must add these dependencies to project deployment assembly as well.
To add dependencies in deployment assembly follow below instructions.
1) Open project properties and select Choose Deployment Assembly. Then select option “Java Build Path Entries”.
2) Click Next and select all jar files. Click Finish.
3) Deployment assembly will look like this. Click Apply.
Above fixes will solve the issue.
Happy Learning !!