Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a standardized way for developers to visually represent and design software systems. It helps in specifying, visualizing, constructing, and documenting different aspects of a software system, making it scalable, secure, and robust. UML is particularly crucial in object-oriented software development.
Types of UML:
- Activity Diagram:
- What: Describes the flow of activities and actions in a system.
- How: Uses graphic notation to show sequential or parallel activities, objects involved, and their relationships.
- Use Case Diagram:
- What: Analyzes high-level requirements of a system.
- How: Uses actors and use cases to represent different interactions and functionalities.
- Interaction Overview Diagram:
- What: An activity diagram made of various interaction diagrams.
- How: Shows the flow between different interactions in a system.
- Timing Diagram:
- What: Represents object relations with a focus on time.
- How: Uses lifelines, state timelines, and constraints to show the timing of events.
- Sequence Diagram:
- What: Describes the sequence of messages and interactions between actors and objects.
- How: Shows the chronological order of communication between different elements.
- Class Diagram:
- What: Represents classes, attributes, and behaviors in a system.
- How: Uses a visual structure with class names, attributes, and operations, along with lines to show relationships between classes.