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smuff · Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Hi all,

After doing some research about this topic. I am still having a problem to understand what UML is use for, how does it behave and how does it work with the environment.

Can anyone help me to understand about this topic? a little bit explanation in simple english could help &
links may help as well.
:idea:
thank you.

regards,
smuff

PayneLess Designs · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 4289 Location: MS

In the field of software engineering, the Unified/Universal Modeling Language (UML) is a standardized visual specification language for object modeling. UML is a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation used to create an abstract model of a system, referred to as a UML model.

UML is officially defined at the Object Management Group (OMG) by the UML metamodel, a Meta-Object Facility metamodel (MOF). Like other MOF-based specifications, UML has allowed software developers to concentrate more on design and architecture[citation needed].

UML models may be automatically transformed to other representations (e.g. Java) by means of QVT-like transformation languages, supported by the OMG.

UML is extensible, offering the following mechanisms for customization: profiles and stereotype. The semantics of extension by profiles have been improved with the UML 2.0 major revision.

UML is not a method by itself; however, it was designed to be compatible with the leading object-oriented software development methods of its time (for example OMT, Booch, Objectory). Since UML has evolved, some of these methods have been recast to take advantage of the new notation (for example OMT), and new methods have been created based on UML. The best known is Rational Unified Process (RUP). There are many other UML-based methods like Abstraction Method, Dynamic Systems Development Method, and others, designed to provide more specific solutions, or achieve different objectives.

It is very important to distinguish between the UML model and the set of diagrams of a system. A diagram is a partial graphical representation of a system's model. The model also contains a "semantic backplane" — documentation such as written use cases that drive the model elements and diagrams.

UML diagrams represent three different views of a system model:

Functional requirements view

Emphasizes the functional requirements of the system from the user's point of view.
Includes use case diagrams.

Static structural view

Emphasizes the static structure of the system using objects, attributes, operations, and relationships.
Includes class diagrams and composite structure diagrams.

Dynamic behavior view

Emphasizes the dynamic behavior of the system by showing collaborations among objects and changes to the internal states of objects.
Includes sequence diagrams, activity diagrams and state machine diagrams.

UML models can be exchanged among UML tools by using the XMI interchange format.

See:
UML Resource Page of the Object Management Group – Resources that include the latest version of the UML specification