UML(Unified Modelling Language)
UML stands for Unified Modeling Language. It’s a rich language to model software solutions, application structures, system behavior and business processes.
Improved integration between structural models like class diagrams and behavior models like activity diagrams.
Added the ability to define a hierarchy and decompose a software system into components and sub-components.
The original UML specified nine diagrams; UML 2.x brings that number up to 13. The four new diagrams are called: communication diagram, composite structure diagram, interaction overview diagram, and timing diagram. It also renamed statechart diagrams to state machine diagrams, also known as state diagrams.
UML Versions
Date Version About November 1997 1.1 UML was adopted by Object Management Group. This was the first version of UML.
March 2000 1.3 A minor upgrade was done to the existing model with notable changes in semantics, notations, and meta-models of UML.
September 2001 1.4 This was the period of the major update to the UML. It scaled UML by providing various extensions. Visibility, artifact, stereotypes were introduced in diagrams.
March 2003 1.5 Features such as procedures, data flow mechanism were added to the UML. January 2005 1.4.2 UML was accepted as a standard by ISO.
August 2005 2.0 New diagrams such as the object, package, timing, interaction were added to the UML. New features were added to the activity and sequence diagrams. Collaboration diagram was renamed as communication diagram. Multiple features and changes were introduced in the existing diagrams.
April 2006 2.1 Corrections were made to the UML 2.0.
February 2007 2.1.1 Upgrades were introduced in the UML 2.1.
November 2007 2.1.2 UML 2.1.1 was redefined.
February 2009 2.2 UML 2.1.2 bugs were fixed.
May 2010 2.3 UML 2.2 was revised, and minor changes were made to the component diagrams.
August 2011 2.4.1 Classes, packages, and stereotypes changes were made. UML 2.3 was revised with enhancement features.
June 2015 2.5 UML 2.4.1 was revised with minor changes. UML was made simple than it was before. Rapid functioning and the generation of more effective models were introduced. Outdated features were eliminated. Models, templates were eliminated as auxiliary constructs.
UML DIAGRAM
UML is a way of visualizing a software program using a collection of diagrams.
UML Diagram Tutorial
The key to making a UML diagram is connecting shapes that represent an object or class with other shapes to illustrate relationships and the flow of information and data.
Types of UML Diagrams
The current UML standards call for 13 different types of diagrams: class, activity, object, use case, sequence, package, state, component, communication, composite structure, interaction overview, timing, and deployment.
The diagrams are organized into two groups: structural diagrams and behavioral or interaction diagrams.
Structural UML diagrams
Class diagram Package diagram Object diagram Component diagram
Behavioral UML diagrams
Activity diagram Sequence diagram Use case diagram State diagram
Class Diagram
Class diagrams are the backbone of almost every object-oriented method, including UML. They describe the static structure of a system.
Package Diagram
Package diagrams organize elements of a system into related groups to minimize dependencies
UML TOOL
A UML tool is a software application that supports some or all of the notation and semantics associated with the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which is the industry standard general-purpose modeling language for software engineering.
UML tool is used broadly here to include application programs which are not exclusively focused on UML, but which support some functions of the Unified Modeling Language, either as an add-on, as a component or as a part of their overall functionality.
UML Diagram Tools That You Can Consider
UML (Unified Modeling Language) Diagrams are very important in the field of software engineering. It allows us to visualize and analyze systems. In software engineering, UML diagrams are used to visualize the project before it is done and to document the project after it is done. You need to know that a lot of time is often saved with the help of these UML diagrams.
Draw.io
Draw.io is a free open-source collaborative workspace for drawing UML diagrams. It also contains predefined templates for drawing any UML diagram, creating wireframes, business charts, etc. It is available as both software and online tool. It has a beginner-friendly interface and is mostly used for professional diagrams. It supports the file format of PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF, etc. It is fully a free source and it does not contain any paid service. It is supported in browsers like Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. The OS supports for this tool are Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Lucidchart
The Lucidchart is a tool where users draw diagrams and charts. It provides a collaborative platform for drawing diagrams. It is an online tool and paid service. People can use it with a single sign-up. It is user-friendly. It contains all the shapes for drawing any UML diagrams. It also provides basic templates for all diagrams. So we can draw any diagram easily with the help of those templates. It also helps business people to plan for their events. So it will be very helpful for data visualization, diagramming, etc. It uses a free trial option. It allows only a few frames and shapes for free trial users. Free users are allowed to use only 60 shapes per diagram. It does not support enterprise browsers. This tool is not only helpful for drawing UML diagrams but also helpful for any project design and project management.
Visual Paradigm
Visual Paradigm is a diagramming tool used by business organizations for planning and modeling. Visual Paradigm is available both as an online tool and software. It requires a single sign-up for using an online tool. It contains predefined layouts. It is a paid platform and provides a free trial of 30 days. The purpose of the Visual paradigm is not only limited to drawing UML diagrams but also for many purposes like creating Business Cards, Brochures, Book covers, Gift Cards, etc. It can also be used as an image editing tool. It was released in 2002. For premium users, it provides many types of categories like Enterprise, Professional, Standard, Modeler. The cost varies depending on the category.
Why I choose Lucid Chart.
Lucidchart users can easily share software process flows.
They are flexible.
It provides proprietary safeguards, including the ability to store encrypted diagrams on the tool's own managed platform.
Lucidchart help center where users can find solutions, view product tutorials and suggest new features.
It helps in understanding complex system part by part.
It offers streamlined license provisioning and an intuitive administrative panel that can control privacy and sharing permissions across the organization.