Bug 62755

org.apache.catalina.startup.Tomcat.addWebapp() always adds the default web.xml config settings, e.g. the default servlet and the JSP servlet.  Calling addWebapp() is a very common method to embed Tomcat in other systems, but it is those systems where the default config is many times not required or not desired. 

Adding a setter to the Tomcat class to allow the user to opt-out of adding the defaults will allow users to configure the system according to their needs, either by adding the required configurations programmatically, or by using web.xml deployment descriptors.

See also discussion at https://www.mail-archive.com/users@tomcat.apache.org/msg130097.html

I plan to add this myself.