UML™ Bible

CHAPTER 5

Capturing Rules about Objects in a Class Diagram

In This Chapter

• Exploring the purpose and function of the Class diagram
• Defining and modeling the class compartments
• Defining and modeling class attributes
• Defining and modeling class operations
• Defining and modeling user-defined class compartments
• Defining and modeling advanced class features—interfaces, and class templates

The Class diagram stands at the center of the object-modeling process. It is the primary diagram for capturing all the rules that govern the definition and use of objects. As the repository for all the rules it is also the primary source for forward engineering (turning a model into code), and the target for reverse engineering (turning code into a model).

The Class diagram is described in this chapter and in Chapter 6. This chapter covers classes and all the features used to describe them. Attributes and operations describe the knowledge and behavior of a class. Additional embellishments such as stereotypes, tagged values, and constraints describe how you can customize classes to facilitate development in a particular domain. Chapter 6 describes how to model relationships between classes.

I cover the UML 1.4 description of classes, attributes, and operations, and step through the UML 2.0 specification ...