web.xml exclusive url-pattern

Question

I want to restrict access to the whole application <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern> But not to some Servlets. They should be public.

Is there a way to do that easily (I imagine some exclusion or maybe overriding?) or do I have to arrange files in subfolders and allow access to one while restricting to the other?

Answer 1

Is there a way to do that easily (I imagine some exclusion or maybe overriding?)

No.

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or do I have to arrange files in subfolders and allow access to one while restricting to the other?

Yes.