The Essentials of Filters

Link: Complete Article From Sun Microsystems

The Java Servlet specification version 2.3 introduces a new component type, called a filter. A filter dynamically intercepts requests and responses to transform or use the information contained in the requests or responses. Filters typically do not themselves create responses, but instead provide universal functions that can be "attached" to any type of servlet or JSP page.

Filters are important for a number of reasons. First, they provide the ability to encapsulate recurring tasks in reusable units. Organized developers are constantly on the lookout for ways to modularize their code. Modular code is more manageable and documentable, is easier to debug, and if done well, can be reused in another setting.

Second, filters can be used to transform the response from a servlet or a JSP page. A common task for the web application is to format data sent back to the client. Increasingly the clients require formats (for example, WML) other than just HTML. To accommodate these clients, there is usually a strong component of transformation or filtering in a fully featured web application. Many servlet and JSP containers have introduced proprietary filter mechanisms, resulting in a gain for the developer that deploys on that container, but reducing the reusability of such code. With the introduction of filters as part of the Java Servlet specification, developers now have the opportunity to write reusable transformation components that are portable across containers.

Others:
Link: O'Reilly Article on Basic of Filters