[UML] UML Tutorials

Unified Modeling Language (UML) has rapidly become the de facto standard for building object-oriented software. This tutorial provides a technical overview of the 13 UML diagrams supported by Enterprise Architect. For a detailed semantic explanation of UML 2, see the new UML 2 tutorial.

First of all... What is UML?

OMG organization SPECIFICATION Statement:

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a graphical language for visualizing, standardizing, building objects, and documenting software-intensive system elements. UML provides a standard way to describe the design of a system, including conceptual aspects, such as business processes and system functions, as well as specific transactions such as programming language statements, database diagrams, and reusable software components.

It is emphasized that UML is a descriptive "language" rather than a method or a program. UML is often used to define software systems and to refine, write, and construct the elements of the system, which is the language of the "write" design diagram. UML can support software development methods in different ways (for example, the unified software development process)-but it does not itself specify a method or process.

UML defines the labeling and semantics for the following areas:

-	User interaction or use case model-describes the definition and interaction between the system and the user. In some respects corresponds to a requirement model.
-	Interaction or communication model-describes how objects in the system interact with each other to complete the work.
-	State or dynamic model-the state diagram describes the state and condition that the class renders over time. The activity diagram describes the workflow that the system is about to perform.
-	Logical OR class model-describes the classes and objects that make up the system.
-	Physical component Model-describes the software (and sometimes the hardware) that makes up the system.
-	Physical deployment model-describes the deployment of components in physical and physical architectures.

UML also defines extension mechanisms to extend the UML to meet special needs (e.g., extensions of business process modeling).

The second part of the tutorial discusses how to define and build a real system using UML.

If you have any suggestions or comments about these materials, please send your ideas to [email protected].

[UML] UML Tutorials