Types of UML Diagrams

14 Types of UML Diagrams and how to create them

UML diagrams are essential when designing new software because it enables professionals to visualize it and include all actions, roles, and processes. It allows engineers to notice and find potential issues and errors that can occur and correct them during this stage of the process. Since these are widely used nowadays, it is not surprising that there are 14 types of UML diagrams and sketches, and we will introduce you to them in this article.

Structure Diagrams- Types of UML Diagrams

The Class Diagram is the most commonly used one, and it consists of three parts – the name at the top, the class attributes, and operations or behaviors at the bottom. It can contain as many classes as you need, and all of them are connected with different types of symbols (arrows), depending on what you want to represent.

The Object Diagram is very similar to the previous ones, but this one displays how to system will work when put into effect. Basically, it includes data and explains how everything will develop over time.

When trying to visualize a complex system, professionals use a Component Diagram to break down the system into numerous components and link them with connectors. Since this representation can be quite complicated, you need to use the right UML diagram tool.

The Deployment Diagram shows both hardware and software parts and how they work together. This one is most commonly used when a single program is developed for different devices with specific configurations.

The Profile Diagram is fairly new, and it is still not widely used, and it consists of stereotypes (to extend the UML elements), tagged values (to add new attributes), and constraints.

The Package Diagram displays numerous large components in a complex system and shows how those components interact with one another.

The purpose of the Composite Structure Diagram is very specific, so it is not commonly employed. Simply put, it shows the interaction of different components within a single class. 

Behavior Diagrams

The Activity Diagram is utilized for working on business process modeling since it depicts the workflow between different actions or components. In a nutshell, it shows a process work from its initial to the final point. 

The Use Case Diagram consists of actors, functional requirements (actions), and relationships between these two. It is commonly used when working on a new project because it doesn’t only depict the work that needs to be done but also who needs to be included and what the final results will be. 

The Interaction Overview Diagram helps you visualize the order in which each interaction sketch takes place and, therefore, allows you to break down the most complex one, if necessary.

The Sequence Diagram doesn’t only display how classes interact but also the specific order in which those interactions must occur.

The Timing Diagram is fairly similar to the previous one. However, it includes a timeframe that specifies when those interactions need to happen. If there is a single action, this sketch is pretty simple. But, if there are several objects, it depicts when they have to interact with one another.

As you can assume, the purpose of the Communication Diagram is to showcase the messages between two or more components. 

The State Machine Diagram or State chart sketch displays the behavior of each object depending on the events that occur or actions that take place.