How to use if-else option in JSTL

There is no if-else, just if.

<c:if test="${user.age ge 40}">
 You are over the hill.
</c:if>

Optionally you can use choose-when:

<c:choose>
  <c:when test="${a boolean expr}">
    do something
  </c:when>
  <c:when test="${another boolean expr}">
    do something else
  </c:when>
  <c:otherwise>
    do this when nothing else is true
  </c:otherwise>
</c:choose>

In addition with skaffman answer, simple if-else you can use ternary operator like this

<c:set value="34" var="num"/>
<c:out value="${num % 2 eq 0 ? 'even': 'odd'}"/>

Yes, but it's clunky as hell, e.g.

<c:choose>
  <c:when test="${condition1}">
    ...
  </c:when>
  <c:when test="${condition2}">
    ...
  </c:when>
  <c:otherwise>
    ...
  </c:otherwise>
</c:choose>