This is part of my self-study to become a better programmer.
PlantUML is used for quick creation of UML diagrams. The PlantUML Online Editor I use.
Update: UMLet is a godsend!
Both Activity and Sequence Diagram is done using UMLet while the rest are coded in plantUML. Compare yourself and choose your posion.
Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose, developmental, modeling language in the field of software engineering, that is intended to provide a standard way to visualize the design of a system.
TLDR: When to Use
- Use class diagram to describe classes and show relationships between class
- Use activity diagram to show flow of actions, esp good at conditional structures, loops, concurrency
- Use sequence diagram to show interactions and sequence of messages flowing from object to another and the time-order
- use use case diagram during analysis phase to identify system functionality
describes the static features of the system
- Class diagram*
- Component diagram
- Composite structure diagram
- Deployment diagram
- Object diagram
- Package diagram
- Profile diagram
describes the interaction in the system; shows dynamic behavior
- Activity diagram*
- Communication diagram
- Interaction overview diagram
- Sequence diagram*
- State diagram
- Timing diagram
- Use case diagram*
Structural
- Top section= attributes describe the variables
- Bottom section = methods() describe how a class can interact with data.
- Public (+)
- Private (-)
- Protected (#)
- Package (~)
- Derived (/)
- Static (underlined)
--|> inheritance = parent-child relationship; "is a" relationship (eg. a manager (is a) type of employee)
-- / --> bidirectional / unidirectional association
--o Aggregation = "has a" relationship; more specific than association
Aggregation implies a relationship where the child can exist independently of the parent. Example: Class (parent) and Student (child). Delete the Class and the Students still exist.
--* Composition
Composition implies a relationship where the child cannot exist independent of the parent. Example: House (parent) and Room (child). Rooms don't exist separate to a House.
@startuml
title Online Shopping
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam classAttributeIconSize 0
class Customer {
-customerName : string
-address: string
-email: string
-creditCardinfo: string
-shippingInfo: string
+register()
+login()
+updateProfile()
}
class User {
-userId: string
-password: string
-loginStatus: string
+verifyLogin(): boolean
}
class Admin {
-adminName: string
-email: string
+updateCatalog(): boolean
}
class OrderDetails {
-orderId: integer
-productId: integer
-productName: string
-quantity: integer
-unitCost: float
-subtotal: float
+calPrice()
}
class ShippingInfo {
-shippingId: integer
-shippingType: string
-shippingCost: integer
-shippingRegionId: integer
+updateShippingInfo()
}
class Orders {
-orderId: integer
-dateCreated: string
-dateShipped: string
-customerName: string
-customerId: string
-status: string
-shippingId: string
+placeOrder()
}
class ShoppingCart {
-cartId: integer
-productId: integer
-quantity: integer
-dateAdded: integer
+addCartItem()
+updateQuantity()
+viewCartDetails()
+checkOut()
}
Customer --|> User
Admin --|> User
OrderDetails "1" --* "1" Orders
Orders "0..*" --* "1" Customer
ShippingInfo "1" --* "1" Orders
ShoppingCart "0..*" --* "1" Customer
@enduml
Behavior
- visually presents a series of actions
Created in UMLet; adapted from Creately
Symbols
- a diamond represents a decision symbol
- a straight, thick line splits a single flow into multiple concurrent flow
- a hourglass shows a time event
Behavior
The sequence diagram is created in UMLet following the example given by Basher.
"The above sequence diagram starts from User request, when User fires an event on UI. The View sends RequestUpdate message to Controller, passing itself as a parameter. Controller updates Model, calling helper function UpdateModel. After successful updates the Model, Controller notifies the View using NotifyUpdate message, with passing the updated Model as an argument. After notified, the View updates the UI with the updated value and View gets the updated value from Model."
credits to: Khademul Basher
Behavior
- Actor: Entity that performs a role
- Use Case: Function within the system
- System: Define the scope of the use case
Extend is used when a use case adds steps to another first class use case.
For example, imagine "Withdraw Cash" is a use case of an ATM machine. "Assess Fee" would extend Withdraw Cash and describe the conditional "extension point" that is instantiated when the ATM user doesn't bank at the ATM's owning institution. Notice that the basic "Withdraw Cash" use case stands on its own, without the extension.
Include is used to extract use case fragments that are duplicated in multiple use cases. The included use case cannot stand alone and the original use case is not complete without the included one. This should be used sparingly and only in cases where the duplication is significant and exists by design (rather than by coincidence).
For example, the flow of events that occurs at the beginning of every ATM use case (when the user puts in their ATM card, enters their PIN, and is shown the main menu) would be a good candidate for an include.
Question: "Do you know that it costs a lot of money to get a ’Certified Java Programmer’ certificate? It could cost you thousands of euros. Let’s imagine we will develop a browser-based training system to help people prepare for such a certification exam.
A user can request a quiz for the system. The system picks a set of questions from its database, and compose them together to make a quiz. It rates the user’s answers, and gives hints if the user requests it. 2
In addition to users, we also have tutors who provide questions and hints. And also examinators who must certify questions to make sure they are not too trivial, and that they are sensical.
Make a use case diagram to model this system. Work out some of your use cases. Since we don’t have real stake holders here, you are free to fill in details you think is sensical for this example.
Here is the code:
@startuml
title Use Case Diagram
actor :User: as U
actor :Tutor: as T
actor : Examinator: as E
left to right direction
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam packageStyle rectangle
rectangle (Quiz-System){
U -- (Make a Quiz)
(Make a Quiz) .> (Report Result) : include
(Provide hint) .> (Make a Quiz) : extends
(Add Questions) -- T
(Certify Questions) -- E
(Add Questions) .> (Certify Questions) : include
}
@enduml
Use Case Diagram of Partystarter, a web application project I did for EE4717 module in NTU. It is an event management online portal where registered users are able to:
- create a party
- browse party listing from database
- join any existing party
@startuml
title Use Case Diagram
actor :User: as U
actor :Web Master: as W
actor :Generic Payment System: as P
left to right direction
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam packageStyle rectangle
rectangle (Partystarter){
U -- (Login)
U -- (Create Party)
(Create Party) .> (View Guestlist) : include
(Create Party) .> (Cancel Party) : include
U -- (Join a Party)
(Join a Party) .> (Make Payment) : include
(Make Payment) -- P
(Join a Party) .> (Withdraw) : include
(View other Partygoers) .> (Join a Party) : extends
(Join a Party) .> (Check Vacancies) : includes
U -- (Browse Party Listing)
(Manage Users) -- W
(Manage Parties) -- W
(Manage Parties) .> (Cancel Party) : include
note right of (Manage Parties)
Web Master can delete inappropriate listing
end note
}
@enduml
side note: plantuml looks really messy without formatting :(
From this, using PlantUML:
to this:
@startgantt
' Sample content from https://d33wubrfki0l68.cloudfront.net/85975663ee3d10baa062c8406db6c5f10627a601/0a978/images/chart-title.png
Project starts on 23 July 2016
[Task 1] as [1] lasts 5 days
[Task 2] as [2] lasts 6 days and starts 1 day after [1]'s start
[Task 3] as [3] lasts 9 days and starts 1 day after [1]'s start
[Task 4] as [4] lasts 11 days and starts 1 day after [1]'s start
[Phase 1 completed] happens at [4]'s end
[Task 5] as [5] lasts 11 days and starts 4 days after [4]'s start
[Task 6] as [6] lasts 6 days and starts 4 days after [4]'s start
[Task 7] as [7] lasts 13 days and starts 3 days after [6]'s start
[Phase 2 completed] happens at [7]'s end
[Task 8] as [8] lasts 10 days and starts 4 days after [7]'s start
[Task 9] as [9] lasts 5 days and starts 4 days after [7]'s start
[Phase 3 completed] happens at [8]'s end
[1] is colored in LightBlue
[2] is colored in LightBlue
[3] is colored in LightBlue
[4] is colored in LightBlue
[5] is colored in Teal
[6] is colored in Teal
[7] is colored in Teal
[8] is colored in Orchid
[9] is colored in Orchid
@endgantt
I guess I will stick with excel sheets for gantt charts for now