title: Advantages/Disadvantages to exploded WAR files
body: <p>An answer to a question I read today suggested deploying an application as an exploded (unzipped) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAR_(file_format)" rel="noreferrer">WAR</a>. It got me thinking.</p>
  
  <p>Every deployment I've ever done to a JBoss/Tomcat has been with a a WAR/<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EAR_(file_format)" rel="noreferrer">EAR</a> file. At least as far as I can remember.</p>
  
  <p>Have I been making a mistake all these years?</p>
  
  <p>Are there advantages to deploying an app in its expanded form rather than packaged up?</p>