Question

I want do display a login link when the user isn’t logged in and a logout link when the user is logged in. I’m using container managed security as defined in web.xml.

How can I achieve this?

Answer 1

The username of the logged-in user is available by ExternalContext#getRemoteUser() which delegates under the covers to HttpServletRequest#getRemoteUser(). Both are available in EL by #{facesContext.externalContext.remoteUser} and #{request.remoteUser} respectively. If it is null, then it means that the user is not logged in.

So, in your view you can check it in the rendered attribute as follows:

<h:form rendered="#{not empty request.remoteUser}">
    <h:commandLink value="Logout" action="#{auth.logout}" />
</h:form>
<h:link value="Login" outcome="login" rendered="#{empty request.remoteUser}" />

See also:

• Conditionally displaying JSF components