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Keywords: Diagramming, Diagrams in UML, Information visualization

UML Diagrams

UML Diagrams (Unified Modeling Language) is a way to visually represent the architecture, design, and implementation of complex software systems. The complexity of writing codes and keeping track of relationships and hierarchies within a software system is difficult. UML diagrams divide the software systems into components and subcomponents making it easier to organize and showcase engineering requirements. There are 14 types of UML diagrams, which are divided into two groups.

Structural UML Diagrams

Show the static relationship between components in the system.

Behavioral UML Diagrams

Show how the components in the system react to each other, how the system captures changes, and in some diagrams how it changes overtime.

Types of UML Diagrams

Source: view diagram in draw.io

UML communication diagrams (also known as collaboration diagrams) focuses on the message passed between objects. The notion used in the UML communication diagram is the same as the UML sequence diagram, although much simpler. More information about the different UML diagrams and how to create them are available through draw.io, a Seibert Media sponsored diagramming tool, such as the UML usecase diagram, UML state diagram, and UML class diagram.

Example of UML Diagrams

UML Diagram Symbols & Relationships

As listed above there are many different types of UML diagrams and each has a slightly symbol set. The UML class diagram is perhaps one of the most common UML diagrams used, and the symbols used are centered around defining attributes of a class. A class symbol can be divided to show a class' attributes, operations, and overall responsibilities.

visual notions - source: smartdraw

line notions - source: smartdraw

lines are very important when it comes to understanding the relationship between components, Generalisation and Inheritance are denoted with empty arrowheads. Composition is a filled diamond. Aggregation is an empty diamond. Dependencies are dashed-lines and <<>> indicate properties of that dependency. Multiplicity is shown with a number and * at opposite ends of a line.