Unified Modeling Language

UML (Unified Modeling Language)

The Unified Modeling Language is a standard language for specifying, visualizing, constructing, and documenting the artifacts of software systems, as well as for business modeling and other non-software systems. The key is to organize the design process in a way that clients, analysts, programmers and other involved in system development can understand and agree on. The UML provides the organization. The UML was released in 1997 as a method to diagram software design, by some of the best minds in object oriented analysis and design. It is by far the most exciting thin to happen to the software industry in recent years. Every other engineering discipline has a standard method of documentation. Electronic engineers have schematic diagrams; architects and mechanical engineers have blueprints and mechanical diagrams. The software industry now has UML.

There are different types of UML diagrams. Each UML diagram is designed to let developers and customers view a software system from a different perspective and in varying degrees of abstraction. UML diagrams commonly created in visual modeling tools include: use case diagram which displays the relationship among actors and use cases. Class case diagram models class structure and contents using design elements such as classes, packages and objects. It also displays relationships such as containment, inheritance, associations and others. Sequence diagram displays the time sequence of the objects participation in the interaction. This consists of the vertical dimension (time) and horizontal dimension (different objects). Collaboration