How to load a resource from WEB-INF directory of a web archive

Use the getResourceAsStream() method on the ServletContext object, e.g.

servletContext.getResourceAsStream("/WEB-INF/myfile");

How you get a reference to the ServletContext depends on your application... do you want to do it from a Servlet or from a JSP?

EDITED: If you're inside a Servlet object, then call getServletContext(). If you're in JSP, use the predefined variable application.

Here is how it works for me with no Servlet use.

Let's say I am trying to access web.xml in project/WebContent/WEB-INF/web.xml

1. In project property Source-tab add source folder by pointing to the parent container for WEB-INF folder (in my case WebContent )

2. Now let's use class loader:

   InputStream inStream = class.getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("Web-INF/web.xml")