Visually developing Java applications by using UML diagrams

You can use Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams to visually represent and develop artifacts of Java™ applications in a single, tightly integrated development environment.

You can use UML diagrams to represent and analyze an existing system to identify the system’s components and interrelationships and to create representations of the system in another form. You can use UML diagrams automatically abstract the system’s structural information from code to a new form at a higher abstraction level. You can redesign the system for better maintainability or to produce a copy of a system without access to the design from which it was originally developed. You can also modify the target system or develop and generate new systems.

A UML class diagram depicts some or all of the components or elements in an application. You can use class diagrams to visually represent and develop the structures and relationships for Java classes and interfaces. You can create your own context to understand, collaborate, and develop an application by using a subset of its classes. You can also develop Java elements directly from class diagrams.

You can use UML sequence diagrams to visually represent and develop behaviors and interactions of Java applications or to visually represent Java methods.

You can use temporary, non-editable browse diagrams to create quick static views and explore existing relationships in applications, and use non-editable topic diagrams to create dynamic views of applications based on context and queries.

You can also generate Javadoc HTML documentation with UML diagram images to provide more information about the source code.

Related reference
UML modeling best practices
Feedback
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 2000, 2005. All Rights Reserved.