JSTL XML <x:choose>, <x:when>, <x:otherwise> Tags

The <x:choose> tag is a conditional tag that establish a context for mutually exclusive conditional operations. It works like a Java switch statement in which we choose between a numbers of alternatives.

The <x:when> is subtag of <x:choose> that will include its body if the condition evaluated be 'true'.

The <x:otherwise> is also subtag of <x:choose> it follows <x:when> tags and runs only if all the prior condition evaluated is 'false'.

The <x:when> and <x:otherwise> works like if-else statement. But it must be placed inside <x:choose> tag.

The syntax used for including the <x:choose;> tag is:

The syntax used for including the <x:when> tag is:

The syntax used for including the < x:otherwise > tag is:

Let's see the simple example to understand the xml <x:choose>, <x:when>, <x:otherwise> tag:

<%@ taglib prefix="c" uri="http://java.sun.com/jsp/jstl/core" %>
<%@ taglib prefix="x" uri="http://java.sun.com/jsp/jstl/xml" %>

<html>
<head>
  <title>x:choose Tag</title>
</head>
<body>
<h3>Books Information:</h3>

<c:set var="xmltext">
<books>
<book>
  <name>Three mistakes of my life</name>
  <author>Chetan Bhagat</author>
  <price>200</price>
</book>
<book>
  <name>Tomorrow land</name>
  <author>Brad Bird</author>
  <price>2000</price>
</book>
</books>
</c:set>

<x:parse xml="${xmltext}" var="output"/>
<x:choose>
   <x:when select="$output//book/author = 'Chetan bhagat'">
      Book is written by Chetan bhagat
   </x:when>
   <x:when select="$output//book/author = 'Brad Bird'">
      Book is written by Brad Bird
   </x:when>
   <x:otherwise>
      The author is unknown...
   </x:otherwise>
</x:choose>

</body>
</html>

Output: