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SmartDraw UML Center
HOW TO DRAW UML DIAGRAMS (cont'd)
What is a UML Class Diagram?
Class diagrams are the backbone of almost every object-oriented method including UML. They describe the static structure of a system.
Basic Class Diagram Symbols and Notations
Classes represent an abstraction of entities with common characteristics. Associations represent the relationships between classes.
Classes
Illustrate classes with rectangles divided into compartments. Place the name of the class in the first partition (centered, bolded, and capitalized), list the attributes in the second partition, and write operations into the third.
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Active Class
Active classes initiate and control the flow of activity, while passive classes store data and serve other classes. Illustrate active classes with a thicker border.
Visibility
Use visibility markers to signify who can access the information contained within a class. Private visibility hides information from anything outside the class partition. Public visibility allows all other classes to view the marked information. Protected visibility allows child classes to access information they inherited from a parent class.
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Associations
Associations represent static relationships between classes. Place association names above, on, or below the association line. Use a filled arrow to indicate the direction of the relationship. Place roles near the end of an association. Roles represent the way the two classes see each other.
Note: It's uncommon to name both the association and the class roles.
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