30-05-2012, 01:04 PM
The Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual
The Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual[.pdf (Size: 3.77 MB / Downloads: 35)
Brief Summary of UML
The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose visual modeling language
that is used to specify, visualize, construct, and document the artifacts of a
software system. It captures decisions and understanding about systems that must
be constructed. It is used to understand, design, browse, configure, maintain, and
control information about such systems. It is intended for use with all development
methods, lifecycle stages, application domains, and media. The modeling
language is intended to unify past experience about modeling techniques and to
incorporate current software best practices into a standard approach. UML includes
semantic concepts, notation, and guidelines. It has static, dynamic, environmental,
and organizational parts. It is intended to be supported by interactive
visual modeling tools that have code generators and report writers. The UML
specification does not define a standard process but is intended to be useful with
an iterative development process. It is intended to support most existing objectoriented
development processes.
The UML captures information about the static structure and dynamic behavior
of a system. A system is modeled as a collection of discrete objects that interact
to perform work that ultimately benefits an outside user. The static structure defines
the kinds of objects important to a system and to its implementation, as well
as the relationships among the objects. The dynamic behavior defines the history
of objects over time and the communications among objects to accomplish goals.
Modeling a system from several separate but related viewpoints permits it to be
understood for different purposes.
What does unified mean?
The word
unified
has the following relevant meanings for UML.
Across historical methods and notations.
The UML combines the commonly accepted
concepts from many object-oriented methods, selecting a clear definition
for each concept, as well as a notation and terminology. The UML can represent
most existing models as well as or better than the original methods can.
What Is a Model?
A model is a representation in a certain medium of something in the same or another
medium. The model captures the important aspects of the thing being modeled
from a certain point of view and simplifies or omits the rest. Engineering,
architecture, and many other creative fields use models.
A model is expressed in a medium that is convenient for working. Models of
buildings may be drawings on paper, 3-D figures made of cardboard and papiermâché,
or finite-element equations in a computer. A construction model of a
building shows the appearance of the building but can also be used to make engineering
and cost calculations.
A model of a software system is made in a modeling language, such as UML.
The model has both semantics and notation and can take various forms that include
both pictures and text. The model is intended to be easier to use for certain
purposes than the final system.